New York pharmacies can now vaccinate those with underlying conditions
Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr
New Yorkers with certain underlying health conditions can now receive the coronavirus vaccine at pharmacies across the state, greatly expanding the number of people these stores are able to serve. Previously, pharmacies in the state were only able to administer the vaccine to those 60 years and older and teachers. The state’s eligibility expansion comes as more than 7.5 million total COVID vaccine doses have been administered across New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Sunday.
Earlier this month, the governor announced New York would lower the eligibility age from 65 to 60 and permit public-facing government and public employees, non-profit workers providing services for New Yorkers in need, and building service workers, like supers, security officers, and resident managers to receive the vaccine. However, government and public-facing workers are not able to book vaccine appointments at pharmacies yet.
The state first opened eligibility to people with certain comorbidities in February, with appointments available at state-run mass sites and city locations.
The full list of New York City pharmacies with appointments available can be found on the city’s Vaccine Finder website. NYC Vaccine List, a volunteer-run website that lists all open slots, shows over 6,600 available vaccines as of Monday morning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched their own vaccine finder website that searches for appointments by location and vaccine type, nationwide.
“New Yorkers with comorbidities are among our state’s most at-risk residents, and access to the COVID-19 vaccine protects this vulnerable population as we work to defeat the virus and establish the new normal,” Cuomo said in a statement.
“As New York receives more doses and more people receive the vaccine, we’re able to expand the population pharmacies can serve, and this is a commonsense step forward that will help make it easier to protect New Yorkers.”
New Yorkers age 16 and older with the following conditions are eligible for vaccines:
- Cancer (current or in remission, including 9/11-related cancers)
- Chronic kidney disease
- Pulmonary Disease, including but not limited to, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and 9/11 related pulmonary diseases
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities including Down Syndrome
- Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including but not limited to solid organ transplant or from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other immune weakening medicines, or other causes
- Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2), Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease or Thalassemia
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
- Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
- Neurologic conditions including but not limited to Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia
- Liver disease
See if you are eligible and make an appointment here. You can also call the state’s COVID-19 hotline at 1-833-NYS-4-VAX. Find the city’s vaccine appointment finder website here.
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