State

New York will allow walk-ins at mass vaccination sites starting Thursday

Corey Henry | Senior Staff Photographer

Appointments will be reserved for first doses only, and residents can automatically schedule a second dose at their appointment.

By Maggie HicksSenior staff writer

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All New York state mass vaccination sites will open for walk-in appointments for eligible state residents starting Thursday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday.

“Any eligible adult will be able to walk into any mass vaccination site and walk out with a shot in arm,” Cuomo said in a press release. “We’ll continue to work 24/7 to get the vaccine to communities across the state so everyone can benefit.”

Appointments will be reserved for first doses only, and residents can automatically schedule a second dose at their appointment. The state opened up vaccine eligibility to all residents 16 years old and older — including Syracuse University students, faculty and staff residing in New York — in the beginning of April.

Residents who come for walk-in appointments may experience slight wait times and should still bring all proof of identity and insurance information.



The closest mass vaccination site in Onondaga County is at the New York State Fairgrounds. Other vaccine sites run by local governments, such as the OnCenter in downtown Syracuse, have the option to offer walk-in vaccination, Cuomo said.

Mass vaccination sites, including the fairgrounds, started offering walk-in vaccines for residents 60 year and older starting April 23.

The county announced Sunday that it would resume administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after halting its distribution under guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. The CDC and FDA lifted their guidance suspending distribution last Friday.

About 44% of the New York population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, and about half the population in Onondaga County has received the first dose.

“The more New Yorkers who get vaccinated, the faster we will defeat the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuild a new and better state and economy for everyone,” Cuomo said.





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