As of Monday, February 15, 2021, people with certain disabilities and chronic health conditions or “comorbidities” in New York State are eligible to make an appointment for COVID-19 vaccination. Here are some tips for what to expect when you are making an appointment.
Note: These are just informal suggestions based on direct experience, and they may change as the situation and delivery systems change over time. When something new comes up, this post will be updated.
Click here to make a vaccine appointment in New York State
Updated March 21:
List of local North Country vaccination sites, and phone numbers to call in Clinton, Essex, and Franklin Counties for more information.
Updated March 12:
If you have a disability that makes it difficult or impossible to leave your home to get a vaccine, contact your county health department now about a new vaccination at home effort.
Updated March 9:
From the Governor’s Office via the North Country Chamber of Commerce:
New Yorkers aged 60 and over, AND ADDITIONAL ESSENTIAL WORKERS WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE COVID-19 VACCINE …
New Yorkers 60+ Can Be Vaccinated Beginning March 10
Government Employees, Nonprofit Workers and Essential Building Service Workers Are Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine Beginning March 17
Vaccine Distribution Eligibility Expanded; All Providers Except Pharmacies Can Now Vaccinate Any Eligible New Yorker Starting March 17
Pharmacies Can Vaccinate 60+ and Teachers Per Federal Guidance Starting March 10
Updated March 8:
From the NYS Health Department via the NYS Commision for the Blind …
To determine eligibility and schedule an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination at a New York State operated vaccination site:
Visit the Website: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/ …OR
Telephone: NYS Covid-19 Vaccination Hotline: 1-833-697-4829
For help with finding transportation to the vaccination site, please call 211.
If you would like to schedule a vaccination appointment at a site other than a New York State operated site, such as a pharmacy, hospital, or other location, please contact that site directly.
Updated March 5:
Click here for a Press-Republican listing of local vaccination sites, registration links, and phone numbers for help.
Updated March 3:
Plattsburgh Press-Republican: “Appointments available at multiple vaccine clinics.”
These are specifically for people 65 and older. If your eligibility is by pre-existing chronic illness or health condition, not age, continue to use the NYS website to make an appointment, using the centered link above.
Updated March 1:
Information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, (CDC) …
Updated February 28:
If you made an appointment but you have a very long wait for it, you can go through the scheduling process again to see if there are sooner dates available. If there are, you can make a new appointment and cancel the old one. You can do this on the website, or call 833-697-4829.
Udated February 26:
Washington Post article: How to master the vaccine-appointment website: A guide for everyone
General Tips
You may be eligible if you have a disability or chronic health condition that is on this list, contact your doctor if you aren’t sure whether or not you are eligible. However, a doctor’s letter should not be necessary.
To register online, use the Google Chrome browser. Using a different browser may create technical glitches that prevent you from completing your registration.
For online registration, start at this website: https://am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov
If you don’t have internet access, or you just prefer to register over the phone, call 833-697-4829. You may be on hold for awhile, but you will end up talking to a person who will complete your registration with you personally over the phone.
If you have health insurance, whether private, Medicaid, or Medicare, make sure to have your insurance ID number handy because the registration process will ask for it.
You will be asked if you need “handicap accessible” features. If you say “yes” there’s a space to write exactly what you need for the vaccination site to be accessible to you.
Availability seems to change a lot, even during the same day. So you might want to check for availability a few times to see if you can get a better date. But if the open dates keep getting further away, go ahead and get the best appointment you can manage.
You can also try vaccination sites that are further away from you, if you are able to get to them.
Overall impression: The registration process doesn’t take too much time. But give yourself plenty of time in case you run into problems. Get a cup of coffee and settle in for a bit of a project.
One more thing ...
If you need a little more motivation to keep at it and get your COVID-19 vaccinations, check out these daily updated maps where you can find the current risk in any county in the U.S. As of the date of this post, Clinton, Essex, and Franklin Counties New York are all at “Very High Risk.” Infection and hospitalization rates are slowly going down, but COVID-19 is still dangerous in our area, especially for people with disabilities and chronic health conditions.