All New Yorkers 30 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting Tuesday, and all residents 16 and older will be eligible on April 6, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Monday.
The governor announced that vaccine eligibility will be universal for all, aside from those under 16, for whom the vaccines are still being tested, via a news release. The announcement comes after President Joe Biden requested that all states open eligibility for all by May 1.
“Today we take a monumental step forward in the fight to beat COVI … well ahead of the May 1 deadline set by the White House,” Cuomo said in a statement. “As we continue to expand eligibility, New York will double down on making the vaccine accessible for every community to ensure equity, particularly for communities of color who are too often left behind.”
Though the supply of vaccines still does not meet the public’s demand for them, New York and local governments, including Nassau and Suffolk counties, in partnership with health organizations, have set up the capacity to vaccinate thousands of people per day at mass vaccination sites and smaller, pop-up vaccine sites within communities.
To date, more than 700,000 Long Islanders have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and more than 380,000 have been fully vaccinated, according to the state.
About 30 percent of New Yorkers have received at least one dose, and 17 percent are fully vaccinated. The state has administered a total of more than 9 million doses. More information about vaccine doses given in New York can be found on the state’s vaccine tracking website.
“We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but until we get there it is more important than ever for each and every New Yorker to wear a mask, socially distance, and follow all safety guidelines.”
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This story first appeared on longislandpress.com
