COVID Update: Jones Beach vaccine mega-site opens as confirmed COVID variant group on Long Island

NEW YORK (WABC) – New York State opens its third mass vaccination site in our area – the fourth across the state – at Jones Beach State Park on Long Island on Thursday morning.

The mega-site, which is also the state’s first drive-through, opens at 8 am

In addition, starting today in New York, vaccines will be available at the Fort Washington Avenue Armory in Washington Heights.

Photos in all New York locations are available by appointment for the 7 million New Yorkers who are in groups 1a and 1b, which includes seniors 65 and older.

Governor Andrew Cuomo estimates that it will take more than 5 months to vaccinate all groups.

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Both openings take place while New York sees more cases of the more contagious COVID-19 variant that was first reported in the UK.

There are now at least 15 confirmed cases across the state, located in two separate groups.

The most recent cluster was identified on Wednesday with two cases each in Suffolk and Nassau counties. A fifth case in Queens has also been reported.

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This cluster is unrelated to the previous cluster of cases in Saratoga Springs, confirmed last week.

In light of this, the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, called for restrictions on flights to prevent further cases of this contagious strain from reaching the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

The Jones Beach mega-site opens Thursday morning with a press conference, but the Nassau county executive is not expected to attend.

Laura Curran is quarantined at home after possible exposure to COVID-19. She’s supposed to be feeling well.

So far, just over 700,000 people have received the vaccine across the state.

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Here are the most recent and future vaccination site openings:

New York State Vaccination Locations:

Wednesday 1/13:
Javits Center
State Fair Expo Center, Onondaga County

Thursday 1/14:
Westchester County Center

Friday, 1/15:
Jones Beach, Nassau County – Drive-Thru
SUNY Albany

Next week, more state websites will open:
SUNY Stony Brook (LI)
SUNY Binghamton property in Johnson City
Dome Arena, Rochester

Plattsburgh Airport – Drive-thru
SUNY Postdam
Utica Memorial Auditorium
U Buffalo South Campus

Aqueduct Race Track, Queens

CHECK THE LIST of who is eligible for a vaccine in the state of New York

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Positive COVID-19 cases by postal code – New York City

Tracking COVID-19 availability and progress in New York
Find out if you are eligible and where you can go to get your vaccine
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