NY expands COVID vaccine eligibility to residents 30+

NEW YORK - New York state residents over 30 will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations starting Tuesday, and everyone over 16 will be eligible starting April 6, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.

Vaccine eligibility had previously been restricted to people over 50, people in certain job categories and those with health conditions that put them at risk for serious illness if they were to become infected with the coronavirus.

"Today we take a monumental step forward in the fight to beat COVID," the Democratic governor said in a news release, adding that the new timetable was "well ahead of the May 1 deadline set by the White House."

Cuomo said that more than 9 million vaccine doses have been administered statewide since the vaccination effort began in December.

"COVID continues to rear its ugly head across New York State, and while hospitalization and vaccination metrics continue to trend in the right direction, this pandemic isn't done with us yet," Governor Cuomo said.

"The vaccine is here and New York State is working 24/7 and pulling out all the stops to get shots in arms, including expanding eligibility and establishing new vaccination sites. But in the meantime, washing hands, wearing masks and socially distancing are critical behaviors that can help us slow the spread as we continue to fight the COVID beast."

With The Associated Press

A medical worker gives an injection of COVID-19 vaccine to a Bronx resident at Yankee Stadium in New York, Feb 5, 2021. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo)