Health & Fitness

Javits Center Coronavirus Vaccine Hub Opens: See Inside

The state's vaccination hub opened Wednesday at the Hell's Kitchen convention center, months after it served as an emergency hospital.

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A state-run coronavirus vaccination hub opened Wednesday morning at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. (Don Pollard/Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo)
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New Yorkers must register online for an appointment at the Javits Center and other state-run sites. (Don Pollard/Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo)
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The opening is something of a full-circle moment for the giant Hell's Kitchen building, which had been converted into an emergency hospital during last spring's COVID-19 surge. (Don Pollard/Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo)
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People now eligible to be vaccinated include health care workers and New Yorkers aged 65 or older. (Don Pollard/Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo)
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Appointments are filling up fast, though, and the state warned Wednesday that eligible New Yorkers should be prepared to wait 14 weeks or more for their appointment date. (Don Pollard/Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo)
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The Javits Center hub has the capacity to vaccinate 10,000 people in a 24-hour period, state officials told reporters Wednesday. (Don Pollard/Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo)
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"New York State is rapidly expanding our networks and capabilities to get as many New Yorkers vaccinated as fast as our supply allows," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement Wednesday (Don Pollard/Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo)
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More than 237,000 New York City residents had received the first of the vaccine's two doses by Wednesday morning, according to the city's tracker. (Don Pollard/Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo)

HELL'S KITCHEN, NY — A state-run coronavirus vaccination hub opened Wednesday morning at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, doling out shots to eligible New Yorkers as the state ramps up its inoculation campaign.

The opening is something of a full-circle moment for the giant Hell's Kitchen building, which had been converted into an emergency hospital during last spring's COVID-19 surge. The hospital closed in May.

New Yorkers must register online for an appointment at the Javits Center and other state-run sites. (The city-sponsored sites have their own website.) People now eligible to be vaccinated include health care workers and New Yorkers aged 65 or older.

Find out what's happening in Midtown-Hell's Kitchenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Appointments are filling up fast, though, and the state warned Wednesday that eligible New Yorkers should be prepared to wait 14 weeks or more for their appointment date.

The Javits Center hub has the capacity to vaccinate 10,000 people in a 24-hour period, state officials told reporters Wednesday. That number could be raised to 25,000 with greater supply, WNYC reported.

Find out what's happening in Midtown-Hell's Kitchenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

"New York State is rapidly expanding our networks and capabilities to get as many New Yorkers vaccinated as fast as our supply allows," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement Wednesday, also announcing that other state-run sites had opened in Westchester County and Syracuse.

"The new vaccine sites across the State will expedite our distribution to get our most vulnerable New Yorkers vaccinated efficiently."

More than 237,000 New York City residents had received the first of the vaccine's two doses by Wednesday morning, according to the city's tracker.

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