Health

Here’s how the COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed in NYC

The largest vaccination effort in American history is underway after the initial shipments of the first federally approved COVID-19 vaccine arrived across the US on Monday, including in New York City.

The vaccine — developed by Manhattan-based Pfizer and Germany company BioNTech — was authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration on Friday.

Here’s how the potentially life-saving vaccine will be rolled out in the Big Apple — once the global epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic and where the virus has so far killed more than 35,000 people.

When will NYC have COVID-19 vaccines and how many?

New York City is expected to receive 72,000 doses Dec. 14 as part of the first batch.

But over the next three weeks, New York City expects to have 465,000 doses delivered, city Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi said during a City Hall press briefing.

Meanwhile, New York state was slated to receive 170,000 doses of the vaccine on Day 1 of the rollout, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo saying the Empire State has 90 regional distribution centers to store the shot.

How will the city distribute the vaccines and who will get them first?

The vaccine will be delivered to 44 public and private hospitals across the five boroughs over the next three days — and it is there where the injections will be administered.

The city’s first doses of the vaccine are slated to arrive at five hospitals Dec. 14, 37 hospitals on Dec. 15 and two more on Dec. 16, said Chokshi.

High-risk populations including front-line health care workers and nursing home staff and residents will be the first in line to get the vaccine.

Mitch Katz, head of the NYC Health + Hospitals system, which runs 11 city sites, said during the City Hall briefing that the city has hired “a whole group of nurses to focus on vaccinations.”

A pharmacist undergoes training as they prepare for the distribution of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
A pharmacist undergoes training as they prepare for the distribution of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. REUTERS

Chokshi added that the city has asked hospitals to stagger vaccinations with scheduling and appointments, with front-line staffers prioritized.

Queens ICU nurse Sandra Lindsay became the first New Yorker — and the first American — to receive Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine when she was injected on camera Monday at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

Is there a second dose?

Yes. Pfizer’s vaccine require two doses, meant to be taken three weeks apart.

What else do we know at this point?

Pfizer’s vaccine needs to be stored in special ultra-cold freezers at minus 70 degrees Celsius (-94 F) or below, but the shot should be administered at room temperature.

Health officials say it takes about 30 minutes for the vaccine to thaw from the ultra-low temperatures to room temperature.

“You shouldn’t experience any sensation of coldness upon getting the vaccine,” Chokshi said.

Meanwhile, doses of the vaccine were scheduled to arrive at 145 distribution centers across all 50 US states Dec. 14.

About 2.9 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine will be distributed nationwide in the first phase of the vaccine rollout.

Another 2.9 million doses will be held back to ensure that those who received the first dose of the two-dose vaccine get their second dose three weeks later, said Gen. Gustave Perna of the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, Cuomo holds up samples of empty packaging for the COVID-19 vaccine
Gov. Andrew Cuomo holds up samples of empty packaging for the COVID-19 vaccine. Mike Groll/Office of Governor An

Additionally, a similar COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Moderna, is currently under review by the FDA and the agency could approve it for emergency use in the US in the coming days.