Multiple Coronavirus Vaccine Hubs To Open In Queens

QUEENS, NY — Four Queens schools are being transformed into coronavirus vaccination hubs starting this weekend and next week, as the city continues ramping up efforts to distribute vaccines to eligible health care workers.

Hillcrest High School will open as a "vaccine hub" on Sunday and start administering vaccines to eligible New Yorkers seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Three other schools in Queens — August Martin High School in South Jamaica, Aviation High School in Long Island City and the Beach Channel Educational Campus in Rockaway Park — will open for vaccinations the following Friday, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio.

"You're going to see a lot more like this — using public school buildings like this as hubs for the larger community," de Blasio said Monday. "This is a model to start getting to the grassroots where we can make so much impact."

The hubs are part of the city's plan to double its number of vaccine distribution sites, after the mayor pledged to administer 1 million doses by the end of January.

Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi said the new sites are intended to help the city reach health care workers who are newly eligible for the vaccine and may not have access to the inoculations through their employer, such as physical therapists, dentists and staff at specialty health clinics.

Eligible New Yorkers may schedule an appointment to get vaccinated on the NYC Department of Health website.