Details have been released on the new state-FEMA COVID-19 sites as announced by Governor Cuomo.
Specifically, the sites located in Brooklyn and Queens will begin vaccinations on Wednesday, February 24, with the Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and Yonkers sites slated to begin vaccinations on March 3. The Queens and Brooklyn sites will operate between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. every day. The Brooklyn and Queens sites each have the capacity to administer 3,000 does every day, while the sites in Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and Yonkers have the capacity to administer 1,000 doses per day.
Eligible New Yorkers can begin scheduling appointments for the Brooklyn and Queens sites at 8 a.m. on Saturday, February 20 by utilizing New York’s ‘Am I Eligible’ website or by calling the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline at 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829). Appointment scheduling will then open for the Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers and Albany sites at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, February 24. For the first week of scheduling, appointments at these six sites statewide are initially reserved specifically for New Yorkers currently eligible for vaccination living in areas with low vaccination rates in counties and boroughs. After one week, appointments at each site will then be made available to all residents of the site’s host county, borough or specified target region.
While COVID-19 has had a damaging impact on the nation writ large, poor communities and communities of color have been particularly devastated by this virus, with Black and Latino people dying at a higher rate than white people. Since the beginning of the vaccine distribution process, another concerning trend has emerged – hesitancy towards the vaccine, especially in the Black community. With a large number of the essential workers coming from communities of color, these New Yorkers face an increased risk of contracting the virus simply due to the nature of their work. This has made it all the more important to not only continue working to instill confidence in the vaccine, but to also break down access barriers and ensure it is available directly within these communities.
Albany, Schenectady, Troy: Washington Avenue Armory
195 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY
Eligible Zip Codes: 12202, 12206, 12210, 12209, 12207, 12222, 12180, 12307, 12308, 12305, 12304
With the support of FEMA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Defense and other federal agencies, these sites will mobilize federal clinical and non-clinical staff and contractors who will work with the National Guard, New York State, local leaders, and community based organizations to establish and operate these sites. Each location will be tailored to meet the needs of the specific community it is serving.
