Coronavirus

All New Yorkers will be eligible for the COVID vaccine on April 6th

A vaccination site in Co-Op City in the Bronx on Saturday, March 6, 2021. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

March 29, 2021

All New Yorkers will be eligible for the COVID vaccine on April 6th

In a press release today, Governor Cuomo announced that New Yorkers ages 30+ will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine as of Tuesday, March 30th, and those ages 16+ on April 6th. This means New York will make eligibility universal nearly a month earlier than President Biden's May 1 deadline.
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Policy

New York launches digital COVID-19 vaccination pass as part of reopening effort

Photo courtesy of Governor Cuomo’s office

March 29, 2021

New York launches digital COVID-19 vaccination pass as part of reopening effort

By 6sqft

New York on Friday became the first state to officially launch a digital passport for the coronavirus, which involves a smartphone app that shows proof of an individual's vaccination or recent negative test. Developed in partnership with IBM, the "Excelsior Pass" is designed like a mobile airline boarding pass and is part of the state's plan to reopen businesses, entertainment venues, and wedding reception halls. Following a pilot program tested at a Brooklyn Nets game at the Barclays Center and at a New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden earlier this year, the app will expand to smaller arts and culture venues and theaters on April 2, the same day live performances can return to New York.
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Get a free Krispy Kreme doughnut if you show your COVID vaccination card

Courtesy of Krispy Kreme

March 23, 2021

Get a free Krispy Kreme doughnut if you show your COVID vaccination card

By Dana Schulz

"We all want to get COVID-19 behind us as fast as possible and we want to support everyone doing their part to make the country safe by getting vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available to them," said Krispy Kreme's Chief Marketing Officer Dave Skena in reference to the company's new offer that anyone who shows their valid COVID-19 vaccination card can receive a free glazed doughnut. The promotion began yesterday and will run through the rest of the year at any Krispy Kreme location in the U.S.
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Food & Dining

New Yorkers aged 50+ will be eligible for the COVID vaccine

Dr. Michelle Chester of Northwell Health in Queens prepares to administer the first coronavirus vaccine in New York State; Photo: Scott Heagedins for the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Flickr

March 22, 2021

New Yorkers aged 50+ will be eligible for the COVID vaccine

By Devin Gannon

The group of New Yorkers eligible for the coronavirus vaccine is set to expand again this week. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced that New Yorkers aged 50 years and older will be able to sign up for a vaccine appointment starting 8 a.m. on March 23. "We are dropping the age as we're vaccinating more people," the governor said during an event at the Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon.
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Policy

New York pharmacies can now vaccinate those with underlying conditions

Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 22, 2021

New York pharmacies can now vaccinate those with underlying conditions

By Devin Gannon

New Yorkers with certain underlying health conditions can now receive the coronavirus vaccine at pharmacies across the state, greatly expanding the number of people these stores are able to serve. Previously, pharmacies in the state were only able to administer the vaccine to those 60 years and older and teachers. The state's eligibility expansion comes as more than 7.5 million total COVID vaccine doses have been administered across New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Sunday.
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Policy

Where to order takeout Easter and Passover meals in NYC

Photo by Robert Couse-Basker on Flickr

March 19, 2021

Where to order takeout Easter and Passover meals in NYC

By 6sqft

Though restaurants are now open, many New Yorkers are still choosing to spend Passover and Easter at home. And thanks to local restaurants, catering companies, and delicatessens, handmade holiday meals can be delivered to your doorstep or picked up from your favorite spot. Ahead, find places for to-go Seder dinners and Easter brunch and baskets.
The full list

Baseball is back: New York announces increased capacity for sports venues

Photo by Matt Boulton via Wikimedia Commons

March 18, 2021

Baseball is back: New York announces increased capacity for sports venues

By Dana Schulz

In a press conference this morning, with guest appearances by former Mets and Yankees pitchers Al Leiter and CC Sabathia, Governor Cuomo announced that as of April 1, professional sports leagues that play in large outdoor stadiums can reopen at 20-percent capacity. What does this mean for baseball season? When Yankee Stadium has its home opener on April 1st, it'll be able to accommodate 10,850 fans; on April 8th, Citi Field will have 8,384 fans.
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Courtesy of Lincoln Center

March 12, 2021

Lincoln Center marks anniversary of NYC’s first COVID death with memorial events

By Devin Gannon

To mark the anniversary of the first reported coronavirus death in New York City, the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts will host two memorial events this Sunday. At 12 p.m. on March 14, a virtual performance by the Young People's Chorus of New York City singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" will be available to view online. Later that evening, hundreds of candles will be lit around the Revson Fountain to honor the roughly 30,000 New Yorkers lost to the pandemic.
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Events & Things To Do

We Remember: New Yorkers share stories of loss, light, and love during the COVID pandemic

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

March 11, 2021

We Remember: New Yorkers share stories of loss, light, and love during the COVID pandemic

By Dana Schulz

There's no way to describe this past year in words. We can list all the adjectives--painful, scary, hopeful, etc.--but no combination can truly articulate what it meant to be a New Yorker during the COVID-19 pandemic. This Sunday, the city will mark March 14--one year since NYC lost its first resident to the virus--with an official day of remembrance for the nearly 30,000 city residents who passed away. For our part, we decided to speak with our fellow New Yorkers and ask who or what they would like to remember on this somber anniversary. It might be someone they've lost, someone who did something heroic, or a larger group or event that played a role. And with these raw stories, we think we can describe this year, through all the feelings that can never be put into words.
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This website helps you find leftover vaccine doses

A vaccination site in Co-Op City in the Bronx. Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office.

March 10, 2021

This website helps you find leftover vaccine doses

By Dana Schulz

In early January, NY Post reporter Hannah Frishberg shared the story of how she received a leftover dose of the COVID-19 vaccine when she happened to be at a Brooklyn clinic at the end of the day. The healthcare worker who was scheduled to receive that dose missed her appointment, and therefore "It was my arm or the garbage," wrote Frishberg. Since then, leftover doses have become more and more sought after, with some New Yorkers lining up at sites from 7am in the hopes of getting lucky. And now, a new New York-based website called Dr. B allows you to sign up on a formal standby list to be notified when local providers find themselves with extra doses.
All the info here

NYC hospital that administered first COVID vaccine dose in U.S. donates vial to the Smithsonian

By Devin Gannon

The morning of December 14 was historic for New York and the nation. Sandra Lindsay, an ICU nurse at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, received the first coronavirus vaccine in the United States, marking the beginning of the end of this painful period. That moment will be preserved as part of a collection at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., which has acquired the empty vial of the first dose and other materials related to that day, including the ID badge and scrubs of Lindsay, officials announced on Tuesday.
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Events & Things To Do

New Yorkers 60+, government and nonprofit employees eligible for COVID vaccine this month

A short-term mass vaccination site that utilizes the Johnson & Johnson vaccine opened at Marist College. Credit: Don Pollard/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Flickr

March 9, 2021

New Yorkers 60+, government and nonprofit employees eligible for COVID vaccine this month

By Devin Gannon

The group of New Yorkers eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine will significantly expand this month. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday announced New Yorkers aged 60 years and older can sign up to receive the vaccine starting this Wednesday and public-facing government, non-profit, and building workers on March 17. Originally, New Yorkers aged 75 years and older were included in the first phase of the vaccine rollout along with healthcare workers and nursing home residents and staff, but Cuomo agreed in January to lower the age prerequisite to 65 years and older.
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Policy

NYC’s live subway map now includes COVID-19 vaccination sites

Courtesy of the MTA

March 9, 2021

NYC’s live subway map now includes COVID-19 vaccination sites

By Devin Gannon

Coronavirus vaccination sites located across New York City have been added to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's digital subway map, helping straphangers find the easiest route to their appointments. The map, which launched last October and provides real-time service updates, now features a syringe icon that marks the location of vaccine hubs in every borough.
Details here

Transit

New Yorkers who lost loved ones to COVID can pay tribute to them during city’s memorial on March 14

Photo by Norbert Kundrak on Unsplash

March 8, 2021

New Yorkers who lost loved ones to COVID can pay tribute to them during city’s memorial on March 14

By 6sqft

This Sunday, March 14 marks one year since the first resident of New York City died from the coronavirus. Earlier this year, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the date will be recognized as an official day of remembrance for the nearly 30,000 city residents who passed away from the virus. This week the mayor invited people to share the names and photographs of family, friends, and neighbors lost to COVID to possibly be featured as part of the city's online memorial taking place on March 14.
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City Living

NYC begins door-to-door COVID-19 vaccinations for homebound seniors

Photo of NYCHA vaccination site at Nostrand Houses in Brooklyn by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 5, 2021

NYC begins door-to-door COVID-19 vaccinations for homebound seniors

By Devin Gannon

New York City on Thursday launched an effort to vaccinate homebound seniors by going door to door at select residential buildings. With this week's arrival of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which requires a single shot and remains stable in a regular refrigerator, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the vaccine will "revolutionize" the city's fight against the coronavirus. Teams deployed by the FDNY started vaccinating seniors in Co-op City in the Bronx on Thursday and will move to Brighton Beach on Friday.
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Policy

NYC updates vaccine website with real-time appointment availability

Screenshot from the city’s Vaccine Finder website

March 4, 2021

NYC updates vaccine website with real-time appointment availability

By Dana Schulz

Making good on its word, the NYC Health Department overhauled the city's COVID vaccine scheduling portal to include real-time appointment availability. Previously, Vaccine Finder listed all providers but did not specify availability, meaning users would have to spend time filling out multiple registration forms just to be told there were no vaccines.
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Policy

Limited live performances and events can resume in New York in April

Photo by Sudan Ouyang on Unsplash

March 3, 2021

Limited live performances and events can resume in New York in April

By Devin Gannon

After being closed for over a year, events, arts, and entertainment venues can reopen at a limited capacity next month. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday announced that as soon as April 2, live performance venues will be able to open indoor spaces at 33 percent capacity or up to 100 people indoors and 200 people outdoors. If all attendees present proof of a negative coronavirus test prior to entry, capacity can increase to 150 people indoors and 500 people outdoors, according to the state.
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New York will administer Johnson & Johnson vaccine overnight at Javits Center, Yankee Stadium this week

The mass vaccination site at Yankee Stadium opened in February for Bronx residents only; Photo: Don Pollard / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

March 2, 2021

New York will administer Johnson & Johnson vaccine overnight at Javits Center, Yankee Stadium this week

By Devin Gannon

New York this week will start administering the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine during overnight hours at three state-run mass vaccination sites, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday. Vaccine hubs at the Javits Center, Yankee Stadium, and the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse will distribute the single-dose vaccine, which was granted emergency authorization by the Food and Drug Administration over the weekend, to eligible New Yorkers starting this Friday, March 5. Appointments will open at 11 a.m. on Wednesday for vaccinations at Yankee Stadium and 8 a.m. on Thursday for the Javits Center and the Fairgrounds.
More here

Policy

Mass vaccination site to open at Co-op City in the Bronx this week

Photo by David L Roush on Wikimedia

March 2, 2021

Mass vaccination site to open at Co-op City in the Bronx this week

By Devin Gannon

New York City this week will open a mass coronavirus vaccination site at Co-op City, the world's largest housing cooperative. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday announced the site will start vaccinations for eligible New Yorkers on March 4 at the Bronx development, which is home to over 15,300 apartments across 72 buildings. "Communities felt deep, deep losses from the coronavirus in the Bronx," de Blasio said during a press briefing. "The Bronx is too often overlooked. We can't let that happen."
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Policy

Dine with the ‘stars’ at Brooklyn’s famed Peter Luger steakhouse

All photos courtesy of Peter Luger

February 26, 2021

Dine with the ‘stars’ at Brooklyn’s famed Peter Luger steakhouse

By Devin Gannon

As New York City restaurants expand their indoor dining capacity to 35 percent on Friday, beloved Brooklyn steakhouse Peter Luger hopes to make the experience a unique one. Celebrity wax figures will fill the empty seats of its Williamsburg dining room, as part of a partnership with Madame Tussauds New York.
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Food & Dining

This website wants to centralize vaccine appointments for the entire country

A screenshot from VaccineFinder on 2/25/21 at 10:31am

February 25, 2021

This website wants to centralize vaccine appointments for the entire country

By Dana Schulz

Finding a vaccine appointment in New York has not been easy, to say the least. Providers are scheduling through various websites, most of which require you to fill out a pre-screening form every time you want to check availability. So unless you get lucky or are able to sit behind the computer all day, it can feel like a daunting process. That's why here in New York City, a local software engineer built a website called TurboVax that updates all availabilities in real-time. I personally have used this site to schedule for friends, and it's a life-saver. What about everywhere else, though? VaccineFinder, a CDC-backed website run by epidemiologists and software developers at Boston Children’s Hospital, is hoping to create a "centralized online portal where the public can search for nearby vaccination locations with doses on hand," according to the New York Times. But is this really feasible?
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Policy

New data estimates 6.2% of NYC COVID cases are the UK variant

COVID-19 testing site sat the Highbridge Recreation Center in Manhattan on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office via Flickr

February 24, 2021

New data estimates 6.2% of NYC COVID cases are the UK variant

By Dana Schulz

A report released on Monday by the NYC Department of Health shows that 6.2 percent of new COVID cases in NYC are the B.1.1.7 variant (more commonly known as the UK variant), an increase from 2.7 percent in January. The estimate is based on 45 identified variant cases of the 724 specimens sequenced the week of February 8-14. The week prior, it was actually 7.4 percent. On their website which has been updated to include data on variant cases, the NYC DOH says that the UK strain is "more transmissible than other variants and may cause more severe illness."
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FEMA community-based vaccination sites open in Brooklyn and Queens this week

Photo by Jules Antonio on Wikimedia

February 22, 2021

FEMA community-based vaccination sites open in Brooklyn and Queens this week

By Devin Gannon

Two coronavirus vaccination sites run by the state with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will open in Queens and Brooklyn on Wednesday, with appointments set aside for residents of specific ZIP codes. Appointment slots opened over the weekend for vaccinations at Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights and York College in Jamaica, starting this Wednesday. According to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, there are many appointments still up for grabs.
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Policy

Coney Island amusements can finally reopen in April

Photo by sebastien cordat on Unsplash

February 17, 2021

Coney Island amusements can finally reopen in April

By Devin Gannon

Looking ahead to warmer months, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday said outdoor amusement parks, indoor family entertainment centers, and overnight summer camps in New York will be allowed to reopen. If the state's coronavirus positivity rate continues to trend downward, indoor entertainment centers can reopen starting March 26 at 25 percent capacity, outdoor amusement parks and rides on April 9 at 33 percent capacity, and eventually, overnight summer camps in June.
More here

Policy

NYC releases vaccination data by ZIP code

Map shows the percentage of residents who received at least one dose of the vaccine by ZIP code as of Feb. 16, courtesy of NYC Health

February 16, 2021

NYC releases vaccination data by ZIP code

By Devin Gannon

New York City neighborhoods that have experienced the highest infection rates of COVID-19 are now seeing the lowest rates of vaccination, according to new data released by the city. For the first time, the city on Tuesday published a map of vaccination rates by ZIP code. According to the data, Staten Island and Manhattan have the highest vaccination rates, while "the South Bronx, parts of Central Queens, and Central Brooklyn lag behind," Dr. Torian Easterling, the city's First Deputy Health Commissioner, said.
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Policy

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