Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in an appearance in Westchester that beginning on Tuesday, March 23, all New Yorkers 50 years old and older are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, joining first responders, workers deemed essential, long-term care facility residents, and employees.
“We are dropping the age as we are vaccinating more people,” Cuomo said at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon on Monday, March 21. “So tomorrow morning, 50 and above can go make your appointment and get your vaccine.”
Cuomo said that any vaccine provider will now be able to vaccinate any eligible New Yorker, excluding pharmacies, which will focus on individuals over the age of 60 and teachers, in line with federal policy.
“For pharmacies, it’s not as easy for them to identify different types of workers, but you can identify age,” Cuomo said. “Because it’s just a driver’s license, and President Biden rightfully so has made teachers a priority because we want to get these schools open.”
W. Franklyn Richardson, a senior pastor at Grace Baptist Church, implored anyone eligible to receive the vaccine to make an appointment to receive the vaccine for the good of the community.
“This is the time to do it, and it will save lives,” he said. “It’ll save your life, my life, our neighbors' lives. Remember that you’re taking the vaccine not just for you, you’re taking it to save the lives of others.
“You take it to save our grandmothers, and our grandfathers, and you do it to make our cities safe, our nation safe, and our state safe.”
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