Vaccination Eligibility Lowers to 60 in NY

New Yorkers ages sixty and up will be eligible for vaccination starting March 10th, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday.

Essential workers from the government and nonprofit sector whose jobs require them to work with others and building service workers will be eligible to be vaccinated March 17th.

The essential worker category includes social workers, government inspectors, sanitation workers, election workers, and country clerks.

Pharmacies, which are operating in conjunction with the federals government, will continue to vaccinate teachers and will be open to those 60 and above on March 10th in accordance to federal policy.

New York will also be opening ten new mass vaccination cites throughout the state.

To schedule an appointment, New Yorkers can call 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829) or register online.

“New York is marching forward expanding access to the COVID-19 vaccine,” Cuomo said. “Supply is steadily increasing and we’re opening new vaccination sites and expanding eligibility to match it. New Yorkers over 60 years old and those who serve their fellow New Yorkers in the public sector are more vulnerable to COVID-19, and we’re addressing that vulnerability by providing access to the vaccine.”

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio applauded the state’s loosening of age restrictions, saying “For weeks, New York City has called for less bureaucracy and more freedom to vaccinate. Finally, the State has agreed to loosen restrictions on vaccination providers. They’ve also heeded our call to expand eligibility to New Yorkers over the age of 60 and the hardworking government employees, including building service workers and nonprofit workers, who keep our city running. This is all great news.”

18% of New York residents have received at least one vaccine dose.