Vaccine Eligibility Expands to All NYers Age 16 and Up: What to Know About Booking Your Shot

Original article written for NBC New York

As of today, April 6, New Yorkers age 16 and older are eligible to sign up for COVID-19 vaccinations, marking the state's last big expansion and one that comes weeks ahead of President Joe Biden's deadline for a universal rollout nationally. Some within this latest eligibility group might experience additional complications. Only the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is federally approved for 16- and 17-year-olds, which narrows the options for the youngest looking to schedule shots. Both the state and city do list vaccine manufacturer by site location on their respective health websites (see the state one here and the city one here). Parental consent is required for vaccinations of minors with rare exceptions, including for teens who are married or are parents. None of the available vaccines have yet been approved for people under 16, but Pfizer announced last week that its late-stage trial shows its vaccine is highly effective in kids as young as 12.

According to the article, it may be difficult for people to start signing up for vaccines given the limited availability. "We put these appointments up last week, they got snapped up – over half a million," Mayor Bill de Blasio warned Monday. "More and more people getting vaccinated is making it easier for yet more beyond to be vaccinated because that word of mouth – we've been saying now for months – has proven to be true."

To read the full article and get more information of vaccines in New York State, CLICK HERE.