Manhattan Needs A Mass-Vaccination Site, Lawmakers Say

NEW YORK, NY — Lawmakers in recent days have pressed city and state officials to open a mass-vaccination site in Manhattan, the only one of New York's five boroughs that lacks a site serving its residents exclusively.

The push follows the opening of two such sites in Brooklyn and Queens this week, joining existing sites at Citi Field in Queens, Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and the Empire Outlets on Staten Island, making Manhattan the odd borough out. (The state-run Javits Center site is open to eligible residents across New York state.)

"We desperately need one. Other boroughs have them," State Sen. Brad Hoylman told state Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker during a Thursday hearing, saying some senior citizens had been unable to book appointments at Javits.

City Councilmember Mark Levine has also taken up the issue, going as far as soliciting opinions for suitable sites in Manhattan — and drawing interest from Lincoln Center. (Both men, it should be noted, are running for Manhattan Borough President.)

We'd love to be a vaccination site! Let us know how to we can move this forward.
— Lincoln Center (@LincolnCenter) February 22, 2021

Officials have reason to focus on the outer boroughs first: most have been harder-hit by COVID-19 than Manhattan, and remain less vaccinated than Manhattan's wealthier enclaves.

Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Mayor Bill de Blasio simply emailed a link to a New York Post article reporting that Manhattan has more small-scale vaccine sites than any borough.

But those sites, like the Javits site, are not exclusive to Manhattan residents, Borough President Gale Brewer noted in a statement.

Older Manhattanites without smartphones are competing with people from outside NYC to get the precious few vaccine appts at the Javits Center.

I pressed @HealthNYGov Commissioner Zucker about the need for a Manhattan-only vax site during today’s hearing → pic.twitter.com/RfX9KqK39n
— Brad Hoylman (@bradhoylman) February 25, 2021

"A dedicated vaccine site for Manhattan residents is needed just as much as any other borough needs one for theirs," Brewer said. "Our density, accessibility and attraction to tourists gives Manhattan unique needs in this respect."

Responding to Hoylman, Zucker said Thursday that the state would look into the issue, but noted that the Javits Center could quadruple its vaccination output with a larger supply from the federal government.