16 FEBRUARY 18, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
COVID-19 vaccine eligibility expands
BY MARK HALLUM
MHALLUM@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Those with underlying conditions
can now book an
appointment to receive the
COVID-19 vaccine through the state’s
website, Governor Andrew Cuomo
announced on Sunday, as infection
rates continue to decline and the
restaurant curfews are pushed to
11 p.m.
The announcement came as the
state achieved 102,000 doses – first
and second – being administered
since Saturday while state vaccination
sites reported 89 percent of first
doses in stock have gone out to New
Yorkers who qualify as the Biden
administration green-lights higher
allocations to states.
“We remain locked in a footrace
between the infection rate and the
vaccination rate, and while we are
making signifi cant progress on both
fronts thanks to the hard work of New
Yorkers, but can’t become complacent
– now is not the time to get cocky
with COVID,” Cuomo said. “With
more than 10 million New Yorkers
now eligible for the vaccine, we have
the infrastructure in place to get it
administered quickly and fairly but
continue to only be held back by the
supply. Thankfully, with real leadership
now in Washington, we’ve begun
to see that supply increase and expect
that trend to continue until New York
is COVID-free.”
Eligibility for the vaccine as well
as scheduling an appointment for a
shot can be made through this link,
where the state also provides demographic
data on the percentage
of people who have been jabbed as
well as the state’s allocation at any
given time. The Cuomo administration
estimates that about 10 million
New Yorkers are currently eligible
as the vaccination effort enters its
second month.
The federal government has increased
the allocation to the state by
20 percent. State data shows that New
York City has received 1.5 million doses
and 1.2 million residents have received
the fi rst shot and the booster.
Businesses under COVID-19 restrictions
such as restaurants, bars
and gyms can also stay open an hour
later than previously allowed under
the state restrictions.
“Hospitalizations and the positivity
rate continue to decline, and with the
holiday surge now in our rear-view
mirror, we must keep taking steps to
further re-open the economy safely
and responsibly,” Governor Cuomo
said. “Accordingly, I have already
signed an Executive Order to move
the closing times for restaurants and
bars to 11 p.m. statewide, and now we
will do the same for gyms and fitness
centers, casinos, billiards halls
and any other location with an SLA
license. As we move forward, we will
continue to follow the science and
data and take these kinds of steps to
help us finally return to normal.”
While the curfew was expanded
for eateries on Friday, it now applies
to gyms, other fitness centers,
casinos, billiards halls, as well as
any State Liquor Authority-licensed
establishment.
A man arrives to receive the COVID-19 vaccine outside Citi Field on Feb.
10, 2021. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
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