Two new mass vaccination sites in the city are officially
open, including one at the Medgar Evers College campus in Brooklyn.
Doors opened at 8 a.m. for people getting vaccinated and for residents trying
to get a vaccine appointment.
People came to the location as early as 6:30 a.m. to be in the front of the
line.
Aida Reyes was
second in line, and couldn’t be more relieved to have the first dose of the
vaccine in her arm.
“It’s very emotional,” Reyes says. “We
didn’t know what was gonna happen to us in 2020 or if we were ever gonna see
2021.”
Another man was waiting outside the
facility for his wife, who he says is giving birth after receiving her vaccine.
“She’s a bit nervous, more nervous to have the baby,” he says.
For the first week, only certain ZIP codes in the immediate area are
eligible. There are 14 ZIP codes eligible for the Brooklyn location.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the reason is to ensure communities
hit hardest by the pandemic are getting access to the vaccine.
News 12 is told they have the capacity to vaccinate 3,000
people a day.
The other vaccination site opening today is in Queens at
York College.
Cuomo says the two sites are the largest sites so far in
New York.
Appointments at both sites are initially reserved
specifically for New Yorkers currently eligible for vaccination living in areas
with low vaccination rates. Then appointments at each site will be made
available to all eligible residents of the site’s host borough.
“There’s hope,”
Reyes says. “There’s hope for the rest of us.”
New Yorkers also waited on long lines to try and get an appointment. One couple
says they were able to get their appointment by 9 a.m.
Eligible New Yorkers can schedule appointments by using the
‘Am I Eligible’ website or by calling 1-833-NYS-4-VAX.
Residents can also schedule their appointments in person at
the facilities, but are encouraged to call the hotline.
Site locations and eligible ZIP codes are as follows:
Brooklyn: Medgar Evers College 231 Crown Street Brooklyn, NY 11225
Hours: 8 am - 8 pm
Eligible ZIP Codes: 11206, 11221, 11216, 11238, 11225, 11213, 11233, 11207, 11208, 11236, 11212, 11203, 11226, 11210
Queens: York College 160-2 Liberty Avenue Jamaica, NY 11451
Hours: 8 am - 8 pm beginning February 24 Eligible
ZIP Codes: 11418, 11419, 11420, 11435, 11436, 11439, 11432, 11433, 11434, 11423, 11412, 11413, 11427, 11428, 11429, 11411, 11422, 11691, 11692, 11693