ALBANY, N.Y. — The next phase of vaccine rollout is set to begin in New York next week.
Phase 1b will include people aged 75 years or older, as well as first responders, education workers, public safety workers and public transit workers.
To help with the distribution of the vaccine, new networks will be joining hospitals to aid in the process. That includes county health departments, ambulatory centers, pharmacies, and more.
On Friday, Governor Andrew Cuomo urged New Yorkers to be patient, saying that supply is the biggest problem.
The state currently receives 300,000 doses a week from the federal government. At that rate, Cuomo says it would take 14 weeks to vaccinate the 3.2 million people included in phase 1b, on top of the 1 million healthcare workers still needing a vaccine under phase 1a.
Cuomo says people falling under phase 1b will be able to make a reservation next week when a new website launches on Monday. The State Department of Health will also host a webinar on Monday for new providers helping distribute and administer vaccines.
Large union groups such as police and teachers unions are being asked by the state to help prioritize and distribute vaccines if possible. If not, health departments will take the lead.
Governor Cuomo also says that new vaccine doses will be distributed proportionally to the population across the state. That distribution will also take social equity into account, making sure that no parts of the eligible population have less access than others to a vaccine.
In the WNY region which includes Erie, Niagara, Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua, Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul said 363 pharmacies and doctors offices have signed up so far to be vaccine distribution sites and expects that number will grow. She added the WNY Health Equity Task Force will be charged with making sure the vaccine is distributed fairly and evenly throughout the region's urban, suburban and rural communities. Hochul says one of the the task force's greatest challenges will be to break down barriers of fear and distrust among certain populations and to persuade as many people as possible to get the vaccine.
The governor says the state will open a website on Monday for those eligible in groups 1a and 1b to register will be open and will direct you to the location to make a reservation for the vaccine. Due to supply, you could wait up for 14 weeks to get an appointment to get a vaccine.