NYC Welcomes Three New COVID-19 Vaccine Hubs

On Sunday, the Big Apple saw the launch of three brand new COVID-19 vaccine hubs that have been put in place for the dedicated administration of vaccines. The three COVID-19 Vaccine Hubs located in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn are the first of twelve additional Hubs that will open this week across the five boroughs, adding to the over 125 sites that are currently up and running for eligible New Yorkers citywide.

In preparation for the next eligible group including teachers, cops, and transit workers who will be inoculated starting today, the three Hubs will start with the capacity to vaccinate a total of 5,000-7,000 people per day and will be open seven days per week from 9:00 am-7:00 pm. Currently eligible New Yorkers are required to make an appointment online.

Source: Reuters

Before an appointment, New Yorkers will need to complete the NYS COVID-19 Vaccine Form in order to get vaccinated. NYS requires the provider administering the vaccine to check the completion of the form. Additionally, eligible New Yorkers will need to bring proof of employment, such as an employee ID card, a letter from an employer or affiliated organization, or a recent pay stub.

“In order to get the vaccination traffic we want, we will need to build on-ramps,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Dave. A. Chokshi. “Facilities like these will be a route to immunity for thousands of New Yorkers. We need more New Yorkers to be eligible for the vaccine in order to quicken the pace of vaccination for the entire city.”

“Until yesterday, this was a testing site, and today, we flipped the switch, and it is now a vaccine hub,’’ Senior Project Manager Shifra Goldenberg from the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park said. “Today, we saw about 30 patients. Tomorrow, we go big with 24/7 and start increasing the number of patients. We don’t have an end date. … Our goal is to be here until we are done vaccinating the people of New York.”

Source: NY Post

The list of New Yorkers who are currently eligible for vaccine includes high-risk health care workers, staff, and residents at long-term care facilities and other front-line staff in patient-facing roles. Starting this week, New Yorkers in 1b, which includes first responders and those 75 years and older, will be eligible to make appointments. The hubs are staffed by Health Department staff and trained volunteers through the Medical Reserve Corps.

“COVID-19 continues to ravage our communities, especially in the Bronx, where we were hardest hit during the height of the pandemic, and continually as our positivity rates grow to be of the highest of other boroughs in NYC,” said State Senator Luis Sepúlveda. “The new vaccine hubs will serve a crucial role in protecting our neighbors from this deadly virus and in our fight against the pandemic. I am thrilled to see a vaccine hub open in my district at the South Bronx Educational Campus, and I thank the Mayor and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for their important collaboration on expediting COVID-19 vaccines for the South Bronx.”

The three sites are placed at South Bronx Educational Campus (701 St. Ann’s Avenue), Bushwick Educational Campus (400 Irving Avenue), and Hillcrest High School (160-05 Highland Avenue, Jamaica).