Governor Cuomo announces that pharmacies can now vaccinate New Yorkers with comorbidities

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced today that a new guideline has been launched allowing pharmacies to vaccinate New Yorkers with comorbidities. Previously, pharmacies were able to vaccinate New Yorkers over 60 and teachers.

“New Yorkers with comorbidities are among the most at-risk residents in our state, and access to the COVID-19 vaccine protects this vulnerable population as we work to defeat the virus and establish the new normal,” Governor Cuomo said. “As New York gets more doses and more people get the vaccine, we can expand the population that pharmacies can serve, and this is a step forward that will help make it easier to protect New Yorkers.”

New Yorkers with underlying comorbidities or health conditions can use the following to show that they are eligible:

• Doctor’s letter, or
• Medical information showing comorbidity, or
• Signed certification

New Yorkers aged 16 and over with the following conditions are eligible for vaccines due to the increased risk of moderate or severe illness or death from the virus that causes COVID-19:

• Cancer (current or in remission, including 9/11 related cancers)
• Chronic kidney disease
• Lung disease, including, but not limited to, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate to severe), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis and 9/11 related lung diseases
• Intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Down syndrome
• Cardiac conditions, including, but not limited to, heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies or hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including, without limitation, solid organ or blood or bone marrow transplantation, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other drugs to weaken the immune system
• Severe obesity (BMI 40 kg / m2), Obesity (body mass index [BMI] 30 kg / m2 or greater, 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)
• Neurological conditions including, but not limited to, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
• Liver disease

On March 9, Governor Cuomo announced that with the increase in vaccine supply, restrictions on which segments of the eligible population specific providers can vaccinate will be relaxed to align with increased eligibility from March 17. Previously, certain types of providers were directed to focus their vaccination efforts on specific populations to ensure equitable distribution of the vaccine. For example, hospitals vaccinated health workers, local health departments vaccinated essential workers and pharmacies vaccinated New Yorkers aged 65 and over. As part of this effort, providers are being encouraged to vaccinate New Yorkers most at risk, such as individuals 60 years of age or older and people with underlying comorbidities and health problems. Today’s announcement further expands these efforts.

New York State continued to expand eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine and to establish mass vaccination sites and emerging locations to distribute it. Governor Cuomo previously announced that, as of March 10, all New Yorkers age 60 and older will be eligible to receive the vaccine, while essential public-facing workers from government and nonprofit entities have become eligible. from 17 March. This expansion also includes essential products aimed at the public. construction service workers.

On March 17, the governor announced that nominations are open at 10 new mass vaccination sites administered by the state across the state. On March 18, Governor Cuomo announced 16 community-based pop-up vaccination sites that will be online next week in churches, public housing estates and community centers. These sites are expected to vaccinate more than 4,500 people over the week.