State’s vax-pansion includes 60 and up
New York’s COVID-19 vaccine eligibility age drops from 65 to 60 Wednesday, and the shots will also be expanded to include some “publicfacing” workers next week.
“The [vaccine] supply is increasing. If the supply is increasing, we can then increase our distribution levels,” Gov. Cuomo said Tuesday at the vaccination site at the State Fairgrounds in Syracuse.
“So now 60-year-olds, 60-year-old plus, are going to be available. They can start making appointments tomorrow. They can make them at the mass vaccination sites, they can make them at pharmacies, but that will start 8 a.m. tomorrow,” Cuomo, 63, said, explaining, “60 plus — that means people like as old as I am now, will be eligible for the vaccine.”
A little more than 1 million New Yorkers are between 60 and 64, according to the Census Bureau.
Cuomo added that government and nonprofit workers who deal with the public face to face, and essential building-service workers, will become eligible for the shots March 17.
According to Cuomo’s office, the category includes workers such as public-works employees, socialservice and child-service caseworkers, government inspectors, sanitation workers, DMV workers, county clerks, building-service workers and election workers.
“These are the people who are the everyday heroes who are out there doing their job. They’re putting themselves in a possible position of exposure,” said Cuomo. “They are essential for us to continue operating.”
Cuomo also announced that all vaccine sites in the state — with the exception of pharmacies — will be open to give shots to any eligible New Yorker starting March 17.
Previously, some providers were directed to focus their vaccination efforts on specific populations.
Pharmacies have only been vaccinating those 65 and older, but beginning Wednesday, they will be able to inoculate those 60 and older as well as teachers, per federal guidance.
Mayor de Blasio on Tuesday cheered the state for expanding vaccine eligibility.
“For weeks, New York City has called for less bureaucracy and more freedom to vaccinate,” de Blasio said.
The mayor also took the opportunity to continue to call for more vaccine supply and more local control.
“New York City hasn’t had a single week where we had enough supplies to hit our current capacity of half a million vaccines administered per week,” de Blasio said, adding, “There’s not a moment to waste. Let’s cut through more red tape to get shots in the arms of as many New Yorkers as possible.”
People like as old as I am now will be eligible.
— Gov. Cuomo