Update Regarding New York COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
A message from Stephanie Browner, Interim Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Tokumbo Shobowale, Executive Vice President of Business and Operations
Dear New School Faculty and Staff,
We are actively monitoring COVID-19 vaccination availability and guidelines in New York. Our goal is to ensure that members of our campus community have access to vaccinations as soon as possible, in accordance with State guidelines.
For the safety of all, we strongly encourage our community members to get the vaccine as soon as they are eligible. This official website provides the most up-to-date information. Additional information resources are listed below.
Phase 1A vaccinations continue. This phase includes health care workers, residents and staff at nursing homes, and other groups of essential workers. It also includes these university groups:
- Campus health employees with patient-facing roles (including clinicians, administrative staff, and any others who interact with patients in person)
- Campus staff who administer COVID-19 tests (those who actually do swabs for sample collection)
- Students on clinical rotations who have patient-facing roles
- Campus staff or volunteers who administer COVID-19 vaccines (those actually doing the injections, not solely in administrative roles)
Phase 1B vaccinations have also begun. The early stage of this phase includes the following groups:
- People 65 and older
- People who are immunocompromised
- Pre-K through 12th grade teachers and education workers
- Licensed and registered child care providers
- School-bus drivers
- First responders (local police, State Police, Sheriff’s Office employees, professional and volunteer firefighters)
- EMS workers, whether professional or volunteer
- Public transit workers (airline and airport employees, passenger railroad employees, subway and mass transit employees, ferry employees, Port Authority employees, and public bus drivers)
- Public safety workers
- In-person college instructors
We are encouraged by the inclusion of higher education faculty who are teaching in-person in this early part of Phase 1B. Currently there is not more specific guidance available about the level of in-person teaching or in-person interaction required for eligibility. We will continue to update you with information about eligibility as it develops.
If you think you are eligible, please complete this New York State form to find a site to be vaccinated, or click here to find New York City vaccination sites. The state has issued some language indicating that individuals seeking vaccination may be asked to prove their eligibility via employee ID card, a letter from their employer, or a pay stub. This will likely vary by vaccination location. You can find more information here.
Additionally, NYS and NYC have each launched hotlines which may be used by eligible members of the community to schedule a vaccination appointment:
NYC: (877) VAX- 4NYC (1-877-829-4692)
NYS: (833) NYS – 4VAX (1-833-697-4829)
Currently, there is no centralized online system to schedule appointments once eligibility has been confirmed. As the vaccine rollout continues, a more centralized online system may be developed. We do expect all higher education faculty and staff to be included in Phase 1B as it progresses. The university will continue to closely monitor all aspects of the vaccine rollout and provide timely updates.
Below are some additional resources for COVID-19 vaccine information:
- New York State’s Vaccine Eligibility Screening Tool
- New York State’s distribution plan
- NYC interim vaccination plan
- NYC vaccine command center
- NYC vaccine locations
- NY vaccine eligibility form
Wishing everyone good health.