ALBANY, N.Y. — If you are 60 years old or older, you no longer need an appointment at certain state vaccination sites to get a COVID-19 vaccine beginning Friday, April 23.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made the announcement on Wednesday.
"We're taking that effort a step further and making the vaccine more accessible to older New Yorkers by allowing walk-ins to get vaccinated at 16 mass vaccination sites. A robust vaccination program is vitally important to the public health, and we're working 24/7 to get shots in arms, protect New Yorkers and move the state forward," said Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a statement.
Cuomo said the reason the state is making it simpler for those aged 60-years and older is because they are more susceptible to harm from the virus.
"You don't have to go on the internet. You don't have to make a phone call. You don't have to do anything. Just show up," Cuomo dsif.
Here are the state vaccination sites in the broader Western New York area that will not require appointments for those 60 years and older:
Delavan Grider Community Center
877 East Delavan Avenue
Buffalo, NY
Rochester Dome Arena
2695 East Henrietta Road
Henrietta NY
Former Kodak Hawkeye Parking Lot
1345 St. Paul Street
Rochester, NY
To see the full list of all 16 sites, click here.
At the select state-run clinics that will be offering walk-ins, the governor's office warns there may be a wait, depending on demand, and proof of identity and insurance, if applicable, will still be needed.
With concerns in Western New York that the vaccination effort may be stalling, given appointments at some clinics are going unfilled, 2 On Your Side asked the governor if his administration is considering either, 'carrots and/or sticks' to incentivize greater participation.
The governor replied in part, "We are not of the stick approach. I don't believe that government is going to fundamentally change human behavior. I think the better path at this point is facts about the vaccine, facts about the safety of the vaccine and access to the vaccine. Make it easier, make it easier, make it easier. Make people feel more comfortable."
We're already seeing walk-ins to some extent in our area.
The Erie County Health Department has been able to offer walk-ins at times over the last several days based on availability at those particular sites.
However, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz told reporters Tuesday it's still best to make an appointment in advance.
