NYC Coronavirus Vaccine Access Expands: Here's The Latest

NEW YORK CITY — New vaccine eligibility guidelines put larger swaths of New Yorkers into a tense fight against spreading new coronavirus variants.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's announcement Monday that people 50 and up can get the COVID-19 vaccine arrived a day after another move to expand access to shots.

New Yorkers with underlying health conditions — comorbidities, in medical parlance — are now eligible to get coronavirus shots at local pharmacies, Cuomo said.

The dual announcements expand eligibility for an as-yet-undermined number of New York City dwellers — and just as the city expects a significant bump in supply.

"Thanks to the Biden administration, we expect a very substantial increase in our vaccine supply in April," Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday. "That's going to help us immensely."

Nearly 3.3 million doses of coronavirus vaccine have so far gone into arms in New York City, de Blasio said.

But the growing vaccinations come as new, more-transmissible coronavirus variants themselves grow in New York City.

State officials over the weekend announced the so-called "Brazilian variant" — dubbed P.1 — was detected in an elderly Brooklyn resident. It was the first time the variant showed up in the city and state.

"This is a race between the vaccine and the variants, and we continue to make tremendous progress of getting shots in the arms of eligible New Yorkers," Howard Zucker, the state's health commissioner, said in a statement. "In the meantime we remind New Yorkers to do everything they can to protect themselves and their neighbors as we continue to manage this pandemic."

The UK variant appeared in at least 437 cases, according to the city's last update on variants. And a potentially homegrown variant — dubbed B.1.526 — has been detected in 1,476 cases.

Here's what newly-eligible New Yorkers need to know about putting their arms into the race between vaccinations and variants.

I'm over 50. When can I get the vaccine?

Cuomo said New Yorkers 50 and up are officially eligible for the vaccine starting Tuesday at 8 a.m.

Where can I get a shot?

There are numerous ways to track down doses and book appointments, but a good place to start is the city's Vaccine Finder page.

People wanting to go to a state-run mass vaccination site can visit the state's 'Am I Eligible' website or call the COVID-19 vaccination hotline at 1-833-NYS-4-VAX.

I'm not over 50 but I think I have an underlying health condition. How do I know if I'm now eligible?

New Yorkers who are 16 and older can get the vaccine if they have the following conditions:

• Cancer (current or in remission, including 9/11-related cancers)
• Chronic kidney disease
• Pulmonary disease, including but not limited to, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma (moderate-to-severe), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and 9/11 related pulmonary diseases
• Intellectual and developmental disabilities including Down syndrome
• Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including but not limited to solid organ transplant or from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other immune weakening medicines, or other causes
• Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2), Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease or Thalassemia
• Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
• Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
• Neurologic conditions including but not limited to Alzheimer's Disease or dementia
• Liver disease

Who can get vaccines at pharmacies?

Beside New Yorkers with comorbidities or underlying health conditions, people who are over 60, teachers, school staff and childcare workers can get coronavirus vaccines at pharmacies.

It wasn't immediately clear if the newly-eligible 50-plus group can set up vaccine appointments at their local CVS or Duane Reade.

Patch writer Lisa Finn contributed to this report.