We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. Please accept the Privacy Policy to continue.
 

Press Releases

Walk-Up Vaccinations Available For New Yorkers 75 and Older Plus One Escort at Select Vaccination Sites

No appointments required for older New Yorkers plus one eligible New Yorker of any age who show up together at 24/7 sites operated by the NYC Test & Trace Corps

Mar 29, 2021

New York, NY

NYC Test & Trace Corps today announced that in an effort to reach more vulnerable older New Yorkers with the COVID-19 vaccine, New Yorkers age 75 and over plus one eligible New Yorker of any age are now able to get vaccinated together without appointments at the 24/7 mass vaccination sites operated by the NYC Test & Trace Corps at Brooklyn Army Terminal, Bathgate and Citi Field.

“New York City has made tremendous progress since the vaccine arrived several months ago, with more than 3 million doses administered across a five-borough network of hundreds of vaccine access points and a range of creative interventions implemented to help New Yorkers sign up and get to their appointment,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Melanie Hartzog. “As part of our ongoing work to make the vaccine easier to access for all, we’re continuing to double-down on reaching older New Yorkers, who are some of our most vulnerable, through creative strategies from free transportation, to homebound vaccinations, to dedicated vaccine clinics at senior buildings, to partnerships with public housing and houses of worship. With this additional walk-up approach that includes caretakers, we’re adapting and expanding these efforts, ensuring older New Yorkers have more ways to access this key resource.”

In order to qualify for the walk-up service, New Yorkers age 75 and older must show proof of age upon arrival at the vaccination site. Their accompanying escort may be any age, but must also be eligible to receive the vaccine due to age, medical condition, employment, or other reasons.

Under this new practice, for example, a home health aide may escort a New Yorker older than 75 and also receive the vaccine, or a grandchild who works in a restaurant may accompany a grandparent older than 75 and both may get vaccinated. The escort must live in New York City or work in New York City in an eligible essential job. Information on COVID-19 vaccine eligibility is available at nyc.gov/covidvaccinedistribution.

“New Yorkers 75 and over are at high risk from COVID-19, and we need to do everything in our power to help them get vaccinated,” said Dr. Ted Long, Executive Director of the NYC Test & Trace Corps and Senior Vice President of Ambulatory Care and Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals. “We need to tear down all barriers for New Yorkers 75 and older to be vaccinated, and our new practice of walk-up vaccinations for them and an eligible escort makes it as convenient as possible for them and their loved ones.”

Walk-up vaccinations for New Yorkers age 75 and older plus one eligible escort are now available at the following 24/7 sites operated by the NYC Test & Trace Corps.

Brooklyn Army Terminal
140 58th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11220

Bathgate Contract Postal Station
4006 3rd Avenue
Bronx, NY 10457

Citi Field
36-2 126th St
Queens, NY 11368

The City offers free transportation to and from vaccine sites for adults who are over age 65 or have an ambulatory, visual, intellectual, or developmental disability. To reserve transportation, including ambulette and cab options, call 877-VAX-4-NYC. An operator will walk through eligibility and provide other options over the phone based on the caller’s need.

The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective and available at no cost. All other eligible New Yorkers may reserve an appointment by calling 877 – VAX – 4NYC or by visiting nyc.gov/VaccineFinder.


Contact: Press Office, 212-788-3339

About Test & Trace Corps
The Test & Trace Corps is the City’s comprehensive effort to test, trace, and provide support for every case of COVID-19 and every person exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. Through a partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Test & Trace Corps allows the City to immediately isolate and care for those who test positive for the virus and then rapidly track, assess, and quarantine anyone who may have been exposed. To help all New Yorkers safely separate at home and monitor their health status, the Take Care pillar of the Test & Trace Corps also offers free hotel rooms with wraparound services for New Yorkers who are unable to safely separate in their own homes. For those safely separating at home, contact tracers perform daily calls and conduct in-person visits as necessary. These calls allow tracers to gauge the progress of cases, ensure proper compliance with separation protocol, and connect people to more supportive services as necessary. Today, 98% of all COVID-19 cases and 97% of contacts reported following isolation and quarantine requirements.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem or Twitter at @NYCHealthSystem.