New York to expand vaccine eligibility to all on April 6

New York is opening coronavirus eligibility to all residents age 16 and older beginning April 6, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced Monday, while residents age 30 and older will be eligible Tuesday.

The announcement means New York will join about a dozen other states in lifting eligibility requirements, a little more than a month ahead of President Biden’s May 1 deadline for the entire nation to make vaccinations available to all adults.

People 16 and older are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine and those 18 and over are eligible for the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

More than 9 million total doses of vaccine have been administered across all state vaccination sites, Cuomo said, and 30 percent of adults in the state have received at least one dose.

“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,” Cuomo said in a statement. “We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but until we get there it is more important than ever for each and every New Yorker to wear a mask, socially distance and follow all safety guidelines.”

The governor’s office noted that eligible individuals still far exceed the vaccine supply coming from the federal government and urged people to be patient.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 146 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered nationwide so far.

Alaska became the first state to make vaccinations available to everyone over the age of 16 earlier this month, followed by Mississippi. 

Several others have since followed suit, including Arizona, Utah, Indiana, Georgia and West Virginia. Before the end of this month, Texas, Ohio, Louisiana and others will also expand eligibility. 

On Monday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) announced that his state will allow all adults to receive the vaccine on April 2.