CAPITAL REGION — People who are under age 65 but have underlying medical conditions can start making appointments to get COVID-19 vaccine shots at the state’s mass vaccination sites starting Sunday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Saturday.
The “Am I Eligible” website will start taking those appointments at 8 a.m. Sunday morning, Cuomo said, as the state’s supply of vaccine provided through the federal government continues to increase.
Cuomo announced last Monday that people with medical conditions would qualify for the still-scarce vaccines, but didn’t release details on timing until Saturday.
The state’s mass vaccination site for the Capital Region is at the University at Albany. As of Saturday afternoon, it was listing no appointments available; the only mass vaccination site in the state currently offering appointments is at SUNY-Potsdam. There was some indication more appointment dates would open today.
Cuomo said more appointment dates for the mass vaccination sites are going to be released on a rolling basis over the next few weeks. Some vaccine for people with medical conditions will also be distributed to local health departments, he said.
“With a new leader in Washington we’re finally beginning to get more supply, allowing us to open vaccination appointments up to New Yorkers with comorbidities starting next week,” Cuomo said. “We can almost see the light at the end of this dark tunnel, and it is critical that all New Yorkers continue to wear a mask, practice social distancing and act responsibly so that we can defeat this beast once and for all.”
People with underlying conditions like heart disease, cancer and diabetes have been shown to be more suspectible to serious illness and death during the pandemic, but until now, those over age 65, front-line workers, medical personnel and those in nursing homes have had priority.
People with an underlying condition will need to provide a doctor’s letter, medical information showing their condition or sign a certification that they have a condition to get vaccinated.
Of the seven million people eligible to be vaccinated, the state as of Saturday morning had administered 1.9 million first doses, Cuomo’s office said.
Categories: -News-, Fulton Montgomery Schoharie, Saratoga County, Schenectady County
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It’s a total joke. I logged on at 8:01 AM today. Sure, there are appointments available in Utica, Syracuse, Johnson City, Plattsburgh, White Plains, Potsdam, Stony Brook, New York City. Not Albany. It’s not enough that essential workers who want to get vaccinated are nowhere near all vaccinated. So then they opened the flood gates to over 65 who are tripping over each other to get appointments. Now they open the gates further to a new group, further stressing the appointment availability. My neighbor is spending a couple of months with family in Houston, TX. He’s in his 70s. He told me yesterday that he’s received both shots. He didn’t need an appointment. He just walked in and had to wait about 10 minutes. They didn’t ask for an ID or proof of age. There was no “assessment” about him to determine eligibility. I’m 72 and am willing, but sad, to have to wait my turn, whenever that is. What’s wrong here in New York?