NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – The city’s first two 24/7 vaccine “mega sites” will begin operating in Brooklyn and the Bronx this weekend, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday as he announced more people, including home care workers and some NYPD officers, are now eligible to get the vaccine.
The 24/7 sites will open Sunday at the Brooklyn Army Terminal Annex Building in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, as well as at Bathgate Industrial Park in the Morrisania section of the Bronx, de Blasio said at his briefing.
“They will continue to be open from that point on by reservation,” the mayor said.
De Blasio said mega sites will be opening in all five boroughs in “the coming days” and will have the ability to vaccinate thousands of people each day.
The city’s first three Health Department vaccine hubs—in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx—will also open Sunday with the capacity to serve 30,000 next week. Reservations will be required for those as well, and vaccines will only be available to populations who are eligible under state rules.
On Jan. 16, the total number of city vaccine hubs will ramp up to 15 with the ability to serve over 100,000 people weekly, Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi said.
De Blasio said that there will be a total of 160 vaccine sites across the city by the end of this week and 250 by the end of the month. Those include hospitals, community health clinics and urgent care centers in addition to the city’s vaccine hubs and mega sites.
De Blasio and Chokshi said an active reservation system will be available online and by phone. More information, including eligibility, can be found for now at nyc.gov/covidvaccine.
The mayor also announced Wednesday that populations under Phase 1A are now eligible for the vaccine after the city got approval from the state on Tuesday. The group includes home care workers, as well as some NYPD, correctional and other city workers in emergency response or medical roles. Details about eligibility can be found at nyc.gov.
“This is further wind in our sails to get to our initial goal, which is to reach 100,000 doses this week, and by the end of the month we want to be at the rate of 400,000 per a week,” de Blasio said.
Some 25,000 NYPD personnel are now eligible for the initial vaccine distribution, de Blasio said. The city has a goal of vaccinating 10,000 NYPD personnel by Sunday.
“Expect 10,000 by Sunday, and we want to make that vaccine available to all who are ready to take it,” de Blasio said.