Cuomo Announces Who’s Next to Get COVID Vaccine in New York

Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced a new group of New Yorkers who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Governor Cuomo just announced a new group of New Yorkers who are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine in New York State. According to his Twitter, New Yorkers 65 years old and over are now eligible for the COVID vaccine. This is effective immediately. You can determine if you are eligible for the COVID vaccine here.

Governor Cuomo expanded vaccine eligibility on January 4, 2021. Eligibility is being expanded to include all outpatient/ambulatory front-line, high-risk health care workers who provide direct in-person patient care, as well as all public health care workers who provide direct in-person care, including those who conduct COVID-19 tests and handle lab specimens. In addition to those 65 and older, people who are home care workers, hospice workers, and nursing home and other congregate setting workers who have yet to receive a vaccine through the federal nursing home vaccination program. You can determine if you are eligible for the COVID vaccine here.

The list of those eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine includes, but is not limited to:

• Individuals who work in private medical practices
• Hospital-affiliated medical practices; public health clinics
• Specialty medical practices of all types
• Dental practices of all types
• Dialysis workers
• Diagnostic and treatment centers
• Occupational therapists
• Physical therapists
• Speech therapists
• Phlebotomists
• Behavioral health workers
• Student health workers

New York State is administering the COVID-19 vaccine in different phases. This expanded eligibility puts New York State in Phase 1b of its COVID-19 vaccination plan. You can determine if you are eligible for the COVID vaccine here. Below are details about who is included in the current and upcoming stages of the COVID-19 vaccine plan in New  York State:

Phase 1b (currently in)

• Frontline essential workers: first responders (e.g., firefighters and police officers), corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the education sector (teachers and support staff members) as well as child care workers.
• Anyone 65 or older

Phase 1c

• Persons aged 65-74 years
• All other essential workers: workers in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater, food service, shelter and housing (e.g., construction), finance (e.g., bank tellers), information technology and communications, energy, legal, media, and public safety (e.g., engineers), and public health workers.
• Persons aged 16-64 years with medical conditions that increase the risk for severe COVID-19.