Appointments Taken for Next Group of COVID Vaccines in New York State

Online registration is supposed to open January 11 for the next level of New Yorkers eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccination, but many healthcare officials around the state predict those appointments will be scheduled months out.

Over the weekend, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the vaccine rollout will expand to include education workers, first responders, public safety workers, public transit workers and 1.4 million residents age 75 and older.

The registration portal is at HEALTH.NY.gov. 

New York City has set up 24-hour/seven-day-a-week locations for administering the vaccine for those who manage to secure an appointment.

Counties, meanwhile, are still working to deliver the first vaccines to those included in the first 1a group that mainly involved high-risk healthcare workers, funeral home workers, nursing home staff and residents, emergency medical services members and those administering the vaccines. Cortland County reported their first vaccine clinic scheduled for tomorrow is already full.  Tioga County clinics for group 1a were also reportedly fully booked.

The Governor says the new network to handle vaccinating group 1B will use doctors’ offices, Federally-qualified health centers, county health departments, ambulatory centers and pharmacies. More than 12-hundred pharmacies had committed to participating last week with another 500 expected to come on-line in the next few days.

The State Health Department is also setting up 20 mass distribution sites throughout the state in the next several weeks.