Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Starting Tuesday at 8am, those 50 and older will be eligible to get the coronavirus vaccine.
Cuomo made the announcement during an event at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, NY.
"Vaccines will be available for people 50 years old and above, so we are dropping the age as we are vaccinating more people," Governor Cuomo said. "Tomorrow morning, 50 and above, make your appointment and get your vaccine."
"We continue to kick vaccinations into overdrive throughout the state by expanding eligibility, establishing new vaccination sites and allowing providers to reach new populations. More New Yorkers are getting vaccinated every single day, but we still have a long way to go before defeating the COVID beast and reaching safety," says Cuomo. "New York's distribution network is at the ready to handle an expected increase in supply, and we're excited to expand eligibility even further to New Yorkers over the age of 50 as we move to get through the COVID-19 pandemic."
New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.
The 'Am I Eligible' screening tool has been updated for individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions with new appointments released on a rolling basis over the next weeks. New Yorkers can use the following to show they are eligible:
Doctor's letter, or Medical information evidencing comorbidity, or Signed certification
Cuomo also announcing the launch of the "Roll Up Your Sleeve" Campaign to promote houses of worship of all faiths across the state to sign up as vaccination sites for their communities. All houses of worship can begin to serve as points of distribution for the COVID vaccine starting in April, significantly increasing the number of doses they can administer. As part of this new campaign, medical providers are being asked to volunteer to partner with houses of worship to conduct vaccination clinics, furthering the state's commitment to ensure fairness and equity in the vaccine distribution process.
Cuomo says this campaign "builds on the state's efforts to bring the vaccine to underserved communities and combat vaccine hesitancy through houses of worship." Cuomo says he's encouraged religious leaders of all faiths to partner with the state to establish pop-up vaccination sites at their facilities, and since March 8, over 200 new houses of worship have signed up to serve their communities. Houses of worship of all faiths are eligible to serve as points of distribution for the COVID vaccine. Interested medical providers and houses of worship can sign up here.
"Faith leaders are the most trusted voices in their respective communities, and with their help, we will be able to reach those New Yorkers who have suffered the most from this pandemic and bring the vaccine to the communities that got hit the hardest by COVID," Governor Cuomo said. "Through this collaborative initiative, we will make sure that no neighborhood gets left behind in the vaccination phase of this ongoing fight. We have a duty to make sure the vaccine distribution is fair and equitable so that our communities that suffered the most in the peak of the pandemic do not get hit with yet another injustice."
Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and President of the National Action Network, said, "Houses of Worship are also places of refuge and trust and there is no better place to have people confidently roll up their sleeves.
We need Faith Leaders to rise up to the moment and help save people's lives that we are committed to serve."
Appointments can be made through New York State's 'Am I Eligible' app online. Information is available by phone through the state's vaccine hotline at 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829).
