New Yorkers 30+ Eligible For Coronavirus Vaccine As Of Tuesday

NEW YORK — New Yorkers 30 and older will be eligible for the coronavirus vaccine starting Tuesday, and residents who are 16 and older will be eligible as of April 6.

State health officials on Monday announced universal adult eligibility was about to become reality, 16 weeks into New York's coronavirus vaccination project.

"Today we take a monumental step forward in the fight to beat COVID," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in his news briefing.

The announcement comes the day New York hit a grim milestone, with the toll of confirmed and suspected deaths from COVID-19 rising above 50,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

• Related: NY Surpasses 50K Coronavirus Deaths: Hopkins

And universal eligibility doesn't mean the pandemic is over. The Hudson and Long Island regions continue to have the state's highest coronavirus positivity rates, with all counties above the statewide rate of 4.1 percent.

The eligibility expansion means that 80 percent of New York's population, about 15 million people, will be eligible to be vaccinated. It's happening a month before President Joe Biden's deadline for universal eligibility, too.

More than 9 million of the state's residents have already received at least one dose. So far, 17 percent of New Yorkers have completed the vaccination process.

However, Cuomo warned the state's eligible population still exceeds the supply coming from the federal government to its public and private distribution network.

Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment. Delivery of the state's Week 16 allocation begins mid-week.

Cuomo also promised to continue targeting communities where vaccine distribution has lagged.

"As we continue to expand eligibility, New York will double down on making the vaccine accessible for every community to ensure equity, particularly for communities of color who are too often left behind," he said.

New Yorkers can sign up for vaccination by visiting the state's "Am I Eligible" website or calling the state's hotline at at 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829).

There are five state mass vaccination sites in the Hudson Valley, including one in Orange, one in Ulster, two in Westchester (one for Westchester residents only) and one opening Tuesday in Rockland.

Registration for appointments at Rockland Community College will begin at 8 a.m. Tuesday through the state's website. Another nearby mass vaccination site is at Yankee Stadium.

Hudson Valley residents can also find vaccination sites close to home using an interactive map of the region's public and private vaccination network. SEE: HV Coronavirus: Help For Finding Vaccine Appointments.