Scheduling opens up for new mass vaccination site
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Pre-registration kicked off for the Washington Avenue Armory mass vaccination site on Wednesday. Many people were able to schedule appointments as soon as March 3.
For the first week of scheduling, appointments at the site are only for those who are eligible and live in specified zip codes in Albany, Troy and Schenectady.
For the Washington Avenue Armory, those living in zip codes 12202, 12206, 12210, 12209, 12207, 12222, 12180, 12307, 12308, 12305, or 12304 may register for this location.
“I’m very grateful to have this opportunity. It's been no easy task until this morning,” said Tracie Hall, Schenectady County resident.
Tracie Hall was one of the many to schedule a vaccine appointment at the Washington Avenue Armory. Having severe asthma and COPD, Hall says she is ready to feel safe again.
“I'm finally feeling a little bit of inner peace. I just want to get this vaccine done. However you still need to practice safety and all of the that,” said Hall.
The Washington Avenue Armory, have the capacity to administer 1,000 doses per day.
Anne Burger says she made a vaccine appointment for a family friend in Schenectady through the state's website. Burger says she minimal problems.
“I had some issues at first, but it must of just been a glitch with the system. Because somewhere around 8:30 a.m. it went up so I could make an appointment. It was overall fairly easy,” said Burger.
Eligible Albany residents were able to schedule appointments at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, February 24 either on the “Am I Eligible” website or over the phone through the state’s COVID Vaccine Hotline (1-833-697-4829). For the first week of scheduling, appointments at this site is initially reserved specifically for New Yorkers living in areas with low vaccination rates in counties and boroughs.
The location is designed to specifically target minority communities.
Albany County Executive, Dan McCoy, is encouraging Albany County residents in the specified zip codes to pre-register on the county’s website because the state will be pulling from that list to schedule appointments. The state will also provide a sign up link that will go live on Wednesday at 8 a.m. If you live in Albany County, you don’t have to do both, you can pick one or the other.
“They designed this solution to allows us to pre-register people. It allows families members to register a parent or someone with a disability,” said Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan.
Schenectady and Rensselaer County residents will have to sign up through the link provided by the state through the ‘Am I Eligible’ website. They can also call the COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline at 1-833-697-4829.
After one week, appointments at each site will then be made available to all residents of the site’s host county, borough or specified target region.
Mayor Sheehan says local officials are working together to get as many shots as possible in the arms of people in the Capital Region.
“It is our obligation to ensure that we are providing all of the support we can to get people vaccinated,” said Mayor Sheehan.