University Community,
Beginning on February 15, 2021 additional persons with comorbidities and underlying medical conditions will become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination in New York State. Many faculty, staff and students may qualify with the additional criteria for eligibility. In person instructors, individuals over the age of 65 and people employed/volunteering/interning in a range of essential frontline occupations continue to be eligible.
Please review the information on all categories who are eligible as of Monday, February 15 which are copied below from this link as of today: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/phased-distribution-vaccine#phase-1a—phase-1b
If you qualify for the vaccine because of your occupation, age or medical conditions, you will be able to sign up for an appointment using the state website here: https://am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/
The form currently asks if you live and work in New York, which you do if you are an in person student, faculty or staff member. We will update any pertinent information after the additional criteria are added to the form.
There are appointments at the mass vaccination site at SUNY Potsdam and there are other testing facilities across NYS. Cancellations are also posted as they occur and time slots added when they get more doses shipped to a location, so you may wish to return to the site to check on those periodically if you want to try for an earlier appointment.
Based on current vaccinations available, they require two doses: the Pfizer vaccine second dose is three weeks apart and Moderna is four weeks apart. NYS currently requires both doses to be obtained in the same location. Pfizer’s vaccine has been authorized for ages 16 and up. Moderna’s vaccine is currently authorized for ages 18 and up.
The University is providing information only about vaccinations. All attestations and personal assessments of eligibility are determined by each individual.
NYS Eligibility Beginning February 15, 2021:
Adult New Yorkers of any age with the following conditions qualify for the vaccine:
- Cancer (current or in remission, including 9/11-related cancers)
- Chronic kidney disease
- Pulmonary Disease, including but not limited to, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and 9/11 related pulmonary diseases
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities including Down Syndrome
- Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including but not limited to solid organ transplant or from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other immune weakening medicines, or other causes
- Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2), Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher 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)
- Neurologic conditions including but not limited to Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia
- Liver disease
Continuing Eligibility in Phase 1a and 1b are:
- Individuals Age 65 and older who reside in New York
- First Responder or Support Staff for First Responder Agency
- Fire
- State Fire Service, including firefighters and investigators (professional and volunteer)
- Local Fire Service, including firefighters and investigators (professional and volunteer)
- Police and Investigations
- State Police, including Troopers
- State Park Police, DEC Police, Forest Rangers
- SUNY Police
- Sheriffs’ Offices
- County Police Departments and Police Districts
- City, Town, and Village Police Departments
- Transit of other Public Authority Police Departments
- State Field Investigations, including DMV, SCOC, Justice Center, DFS, IG, Tax, OCFS, SLA
- Public Safety Communications
- Emergency Communication and PSAP Personnel, including dispatchers and technicians
- Other Sworn and Civilian Personnel
- Court Officer
- Other Police or Peace Officer
- Support or Civilian Staff for Any of the Above Services, Agencies, or Facilities
- Corrections
- State DOCCS Personnel, including correction and parole officers
- Local Correctional Facilities, including correction officers
- Local Probation Departments, including probation officers
- State Juvenile Detention and Rehabilitation Facilities
- Local Juvenile Detention and Rehabilitation Facilities
- P-12 Schools
- P-12 school (public or non-public) or school district faculty or staff (includes all teachers, substitute teachers, student teachers, school administrators, paraprofessional staff, and support staff including bus drivers)
- Contractor working in a P-12 school or school district (including contracted bus drivers)
- Licensed, registered, approved or legally exempt group childcare
- In-person college faculty and instructors
- Employees or Support Staff of licensed, registered, approved or legally exempt group Childcare Setting
- Licensed, registered, approved or legally exempt group Childcare Provider
- Public Transit
- Airline and airport employee
- Passenger railroad employee
- Subway and mass transit employee (i.e., MTA, LIRR, Metro North, NYC Transit, Upstate transit)
- Ferry employee
- Port Authority employee
- Public bus employee
- Public facing grocery store workers, including convenience store and bodega workers
- Individual living in a homeless shelter where sleeping, bathing or eating accommodations must be shared with individuals and families who are not part of your household
- Individual working (paid or unpaid) in a homeless shelter where sleeping, bathing or eating accommodations must be shared by individuals and families who are not part of the same household, in a position where there is potential for interaction with shelter residents
- High-risk hospital and FQHC staff, including OMH psychiatric centers
- Health care or other high-risk essential staff who come into contact with residents/patients working in LTCFs and long-term, congregate settings overseen by OPWDD, OMH, OCFS, OTDA and OASAS, and residents in congregate living situations, overseen or funded by the OPWDD, OMH, OCFS, OTDA and OASAS
- Certified NYS EMS provider, including but not limited to Certified First Responder, Emergency Medical Technician, Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, Emergency Medical Technician – Critical Care, Paramedic, Ambulance Emergency Vehicle Operator, or Non-Certified Ambulance Assistant
- County Coroner or Medical Examiner, or employer or contractor thereof who is exposed to infectious material or bodily fluids
- Licensed funeral director, or owner, operator, employee, or contractor of a funeral firm licensed and registered in New York State, who is exposed to infectious material or bodily fluids
- Staff of urgent care provider
- Staff who administer COVID-19 vaccine
- All Outpatient/Ambulatory front-line, high-risk health care workers of any age who provide direct in-person patient care, or other staff in a position in which they have direct contact with patients (i.e., intake staff)
- All front-line, high-risk public health workers who have direct contact with patients, including those conducting COVID-19 tests, handling COVID-19 specimens and COVID-19 vaccinations
- Home care workers and aides, hospice workers, personal care aides, and consumer-directed personal care workers
- Staff and residents of nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, and adult care facilities
- Restaurant workers*
- Restaurant delivery drivers*
- For-hire vehicle drivers*
*Eligible for vaccination at State-operated mass vaccination sites, and, at the option of local health departments (LHDs) at LHD-operated point of distribution sites.
The list is subject to change as additional scientific evidence is published and as New York State obtains and analyzes additional state-specific data.
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