ALBANY – New Yorkers within priority group 1b can now begin scheduling appointments with individual providers, including pharmacies, local health departments, and hospitals, to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Those now eligible to receive the vaccine include individuals 75 and older, first responders, public safety officers, teachers and other school staff; in-person college instructors, childcare workers, public-facing grocery store workers, transit workers and individuals living and working in homeless shelters.
Eligibility determinations and a list of nearby providers where appointments can be scheduled can all be done through New York’s new ‘Am I Eligible ” app. New Yorkers were able to begin calling the New York State Vaccination Hotline at 4 p.m. on Monday, January 11: 1-833-NYS-4VAX (1-833-697-4829).
Since federal supply severely limits the ability to distribute vaccine, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment. New York’s vast distribution network and large population of more than 4 million eligible individuals in this priority group dwarf the vaccine supply coming from the federal government, which is arriving at a rate of approximately 300,000 doses per week. As such, eligible New Yorkers should be prepared to receive an appointment date as far as 14 weeks in the future.
Under New York’s expanded eligibility, the following individuals will now be eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment:
- Individuals Age 75 and older
- First Responders and Support Staff of First Responder Agencies
Fire Service
State Fire Service, including firefighters and investigators (professional and volunteer)
Local Fire Service, including firefighters and investigators (professional and volunteer)
Police and Investigators
State Police, including Troopers
State Park Police, DEC Police, Forest Rangers
SUNY Police
Sheriffs’ Offices
County Police Departments and Police Districts
City, Town, and Village Police Departments
Transit of other Public Authority Police Departments
State Field Investigators, including Department of Motor Vehicles, State Commission of Correction, Justice Center, Department of Financial Service, Inspector General, Department of Tax and Finance, Office of Children and Family Services, and State Liquor Authority
- Public Safety Communications
Emergency Communication and Public Safety Answering Point Personnel, including dispatchers and technicians
Other Sworn and Civilian Personnel
Court Officers
Other Police or Peace Officers
Support of Civilian Staff of any of the above services, agencies or facilities
- Corrections
State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Personnel, including correction and parole officers
Local Correctional Facilities, including correction officers
Local Probation Departments, including probation officers
State Juvenile Detention and Rehabilitation Facilities
Local Juvenile Detention and Rehabilitation Facilities
- P-12 Schools
P-12 school or school district faculty or staff (includes all teachers, substitute teachers, student teachers, school administrators, paraprofessional staff, and support staff including bus drivers)
Contractors working in a P-12 school or school district (including contracted bus drivers)
In-Person College Instructors
Employees or Support Staff of Licensed, Registered, Approved or Legally Exempt Childcare Setting
Licensed, Registered, Approved or Legally Exempt Childcare Providers
In-Person College Instructors
- Public-Facing Grocery Store Workers
- Public Transit
Airline and airport employees
Passenger railroad employees
Subway and mass transit employees (i.e., MTA, LIRR, Metro North, NYC Transit, Upstate transit)
Ferry employees
Port Authority employees
Public bus employee
- Individuals living in a homeless shelter where sleeping, bathing or eating accommodations must be shared with individuals and families who are not part of your the same household
