NY to Expand COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility, Distribution Next Week

New York state will expand the group of people eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine Monday and create a new network of vaccination sites to accommodate the new phase, which includes 3.2 million individuals in the state.

The new phase, called 1b, will allow several new groups to get vaccinated, including first responders, education workers, public safety and transit workers, and people aged 75 and older.

Those individuals may not immediately receive the vaccine next week. Instead, those eligible will be able to start making appointments to receive the vaccine through certain pharmacies or an online portal developed by the state. Their appointment could be several weeks out.

The first phase of individuals, which is called 1a and largely includes health care workers and nursing home residents, has not been fully vaccinated. But counties and hospitals have expressed trouble distributing the full supply of the vaccine sent to them by the state.

Cuomo said Friday that, to help, the state will set up a new network of vaccination distribution providers, including private doctors, as the next phase of recipients gets underway. More medical providers will also be able to distribute the vaccine, he said.

“We’re not pleased with the rate of distribution,” Cuomo said. “So, we’re going to supplement the hospitals with additional networks.”

The new vaccine distribution network will handle vaccinations for people in both 1a and 1b. Hospitals and other medical providers will continue to prioritize health care workers and others eligible in group 1a.

The new phase is expected to be a significant challenge for New York. In phase 1b alone, there are 3.2 million people eligible for the vaccine, according to the state.

Cuomo has criticized hospitals and municipal leaders, including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, in recent days for the current pace of the vaccine distribution. The state, so far, hasn’t come close to exhausting the entire supply of the vaccine provided by the federal government.

Aside from hospitals and other vaccination sites, Cuomo said Friday that the state will authorize other medical professionals to administer the vaccine, including pharmacists, dentists, dental hygienists, podiatrists, and more.

The state is also in the process of setting up mass vaccine distribution sites at certain locations, including local colleges and universities. The Javits Center in Manhattan will house one of those sites and open Wednesday, Cuomo said.

As of Friday, New York had distributed 479,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, Cuomo said.