Northeast Queens Needs Vaccination Sites, Lawmakers Say

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — Lawmakers in Northeast Queens are complaining of a lack of coronavirus vaccination sites in the region, which is home to a higher-than-average proportion of senior residents eligible to get vaccinated.

There are no vaccination sites east of Union Street in Flushing or north of 82nd Road in Jamaica, according to a letter sent Tuesday to Mayor Bill de Blasio that was signed by New York Sen. John Liu, Assembly Members Nily Rozic and Edward Braunstein, and City Council Members Barry Grodenchik, Paul Vallone and Peter Koo.

The lawmakers said seniors in their districts are struggling to make appointments to get vaccinated due to the lack of nearby sites.

The 24-hour vaccination site opening later this month at Citi Field is "not within reach for most seniors, especially when travel options to the stadium are limited during the pandemic," lawmakers wrote.

In Queens Community Board 11's district, which includes much of Northeast Queens, a fifth of residents are 65 or up — all of whom now qualify to get vaccinated in New York.

Within the neighboring district of Queens Community Board 7, seniors make up 19 percent of the population, according to city data.

Across New York City, 14 percent of the population is in that age range, according to the data.