New York Expands Vaccine Eligibility To Include 60+, Public-Facing Workers

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SYRACUSE – Those 60 and older can soon begin making COVID-19 vaccination appointments at pharmacies and state-run vaccination sites.

Governor Andrew Cuomo, while visiting the New York State fairgrounds vaccination site on Tuesday morning, announced the news.

Cuomo says public-facing essential workers will also be included in the next phase of vaccine eligibility.

Beginning March 17, any distribution site, with the exception of pharmacies, will be able to give the shot to anyone eligible.

Up until this point, county governments were tasked with vaccinating essential workers first. Pharmacies are only able to vaccinate those 60 years and older and teachers.

The New York State fairgrounds vaccination site is the second-largest mass vaccination site in the U.S., second only to the Javits Center in New York City. On Monday, the site did over 9,500 shots in just 24 hours.