New York lowers COVID-19 vaccine eligibility age to 60 years

Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, who has been in a legal stir of his own, announced on Tuesday that every resident of the state who is over the age of 60 will be eligible for getting their COVID-19 vaccinations starting Wednesday, with due appointments, at designated vaccination centers, according to US media reports.

In a speech at Syracuse, he said, “That means people, like as old as I am, will now be eligible for the vaccine”, reported New York Times. 

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State authorities have also planned to make the current requirements more inclusive by reviewing the criteria for people who are at a higher risk of contracting the virus, like essential workers, government employees and nonprofit workers. The date for such inoculations is set to begin on March 17.

Cuomo cited the increased supply of the available COVID-19 vaccines provided by the federal authorities as the reason for the extension of inoculation criteria. 

New York residents working as social service personnel, child services officers, sanitation workers, county clerks and government employees will be benefiting from the expanded criteria beginning next week. 

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Previously, the COVID-19 mandate in New York dictated to only vaccinated people who were over the age of 65, however, the revised rules, which come into force at 8 am on Wednesday, will allow everyone over the of 60 to get vaccinated.