Rockland Officials Streamline Vaccine Registry

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Rockland County health officials are creating a registry for the coronavirus vaccine that any New Yorker can join.

The county will post registration links starting at 10 a.m. Monday. The links to make appointments will remain on the county's coronavirus webpage to make it more accessible for residents to book new appointments when they become available and cancellations as they occur.

Appointments for RCDOH vaccine clinics during the week of March 15-19 will be listed on the Department of Health's COVID-19 webpage as well as on Facebook and Twitter. Going forward, any appointment with the health department can be scheduled using links that will be regularly updated.

"We encourage you to visit our webpage to search for any open appointments," health officials said.

Anyone who is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination per the NYS phased distribution plan may register for an appointment at the Rockland County COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic located in Pomona, NY.

"With New York State now loosening restrictions, we are pleased that starting in the middle of next week, we will be able to vaccinate all eligible priority groups. We are continuously working on expanding the registration/appointment process to help residents get vaccinated and urge eligible individuals to utilize this new process," said County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert.

State health officials have expanded eligibility and loosened restrictions on who can be vaccinated where.

• Starting Wednesday, pharmacies began vaccinating teachers and people over the age of 60.
• Starting March 17, other providers will be able to vaccinate any eligible New Yorker.

The rule change releases local health departments and hospitals from their initial responsibilities which limited hospitals to vaccinating health care workers, local health departments to vaccinating essential workers and people with underlying health conditions, and pharmacies to giving shots to New Yorkers 65 years of age and older.

The RCDOH will be giving the Moderna vaccine at clinics on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at the clinics on Thursday and Friday. You must be at least 18 years of age or older to receive the Moderna vaccine and 16 years of age or older to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

"Thank you to the Department of Health for working so hard to improve the vaccination process locally. Across New York State eligible folks have struggled to find and make appointments and this is just the latest improvement put in place by County departments to help get shots into the arms of residents," said Rockland County Executive Ed Day.

For more information about appointments at the RCDOH, email the Rockland County COVID Call Center at COVIDCallCenter@co.rockland.ny.us or call 845-238-1956 from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. Monday – Friday (except holidays).

By May 1, everyone in the United States will be eligible for a vaccine, President Joe Biden said Thursday.

That means 15 million New Yorkers will be eligible, said Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his Friday coronavirus briefing. While it doesn't mean everyone can get a vaccine at once, the rapid increase in supply will make scheduling an appointment much easier, he said.