Pop-up Coronavirus Vaccine Site To Open At Ossining Train Station

OSSINING, NY — The Ossining train station is one of eight new pop-up coronavirus vaccination sites at MTA station stops in the Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island.

A clinic at the Metro-North station will offer free vaccines from 3-8 p.m. for five days starting Wednesday.

The sites expect to serve up to 300 walk-ins per day on a first-come, first-served basis using the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The MTA will provide incentives to get vaccinated at the sites, including a free seven-day MetroCard or free round trip Metro-North or Long Island Rail Road ticket. The MTA is doing the project in partnership with SOMOS Community Care, Northwell Health and Westchester Medical Center on the sites.

MTA employees can get vaccinated at the sites.

"We've made huge progress vaccinating New Yorkers across the state, but vaccination rates are slowing and we have to redouble our efforts to get more shots in arms and reassure people that the vaccine is safe to take," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in the announcement. "New Yorkers may struggle to take time out of their schedules to get the vaccine, so we're bringing it directly to them at these new sites in MTA stations. The more New Yorkers are vaccinated, the safer our state is for everyone, and we'll continue to pursue all avenues to distribute the vaccine and bring more people to safety from this terrible virus."

The sites will be open from Wednesday to Sunday.

Anyone planning on being vaccinated is encouraged to allow for additional time in their commute to accommodate the vaccination process.

"Ensuring easy access to free vaccinations is key to reopening New York and building back better. The MTA is proud to do its part to help lead the State's recovery and get the region back on track," said MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick Foye. "By taking the vaccine, you're protecting not only yourself but your fellow New Yorkers at this pivotal moment as more and more COVID restrictions are lifted and customers start to return to mass transit."

The MTA stations are:

• Penn Station - 34th Street Corridor, Open: 3 PM - 8 PM
• Grand Central Terminal - Vanderbilt Hall, Open: 8 AM - 1 PM
• East 180th Street (Bronx), Open: 8 AM - 1 PM
• 179th Street (Queens), Open: 8 AM - 1 PM
• Coney Island (Brooklyn), Open: 8 AM - 1 PM
• Broadway Junction (Brooklyn), Open: 3 PM - 8 PM
• Hempstead (LIRR), Open: 3 PM - 8 PM
• Ossining (Metro-North), Open: 3 PM - 8 PM

Screens at MTA stations, onboard train cars, and buses will promote the site locations and hours of operation. Promotional content will be pushed to over 3 million subscribers across MTA social media platforms. Audio announcements will also run in more than 500 stations. Way-finding signage will be produced and posted at station pop-up locations to help ensure proper traffic flow. Information will also be available on the MTA website.

This adds to New York State's ongoing efforts to make the COVID-19 vaccine more accessible. Since April 29, all state mass vaccination sites are open for walk-in appointments. Walk-in appointments are currently reserved for first doses only or single-shot doses of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine, dependent on availability and location. Additionally, all vaccine providers are encouraged to allow walk-in appointments and eliminate other barriers for vaccinations for eligible New Yorkers.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker Dashboard is available to update New Yorkers on the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. The New York State Department of Health requires vaccinating facilities to report all COVID-19 vaccine administration data within 24 hours; the vaccine administration data on the dashboard is updated daily to reflect the most up-to-date metrics in the state's vaccination effort.

New Yorkers who suspect fraud in the vaccine distribution process can now call 833-VAX-SCAM (833-829-7226) toll-free or email the state Department of Health at STOPVAXFRAUD@health.ny.gov. Hotline staff will route complaints to the appropriate investigative agencies to ensure New Yorkers are not being taken advantage of as the State works to vaccinate the entire eligible population.