Help seniors schedule COVID vaccine appointments. [UPDATE 2/25 AT 9:30AM: JAVITS CENTER JUST OPENED 7K APPOINTMENTS FOR SECOND DOSES ONLY]

I have heard first-hand that trying to schedule a COVID vaccine appointment is a nightmare. And so yesterday I reached out to Erik Bottcher, who is the guy in the thumbnail running for election in November 2021 to represent City Council District 3 (which includes Chelsea) to see if he is undertaking any initiatives to help on this front.

It turns out the answer is yes. You can sign up to fight with your computer on behalf of a senior trying to get a vaccine appointment at the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXGh1dar4DoMdvpzOsD9TMzAgRGIaqFaxvB7Yhx2jwUoi4Yg/viewform. Or, if you are eligible for a vaccine, you can sign up to get a volunteer to electronically fight on your behalf here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5apoS1rzkFPf049gZ7prSjTCi2FCuBRcVASY8A6cfGXWPCA/viewform.

Erik also put together a short note compiling websites that people are using to book vaccine appointments. Here it is: https://mailchi.mp/erikbottcher.com/email-4768707?e=2420005abd. I myself recently read in the NY Times about “turbovax,” which is a website built by Chelsea resident Huge Ma that compiles vaccine appointment availability from city and state vaccine systems. Nice.

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UPDATE 2/25 AT 9:30AM: JAVITS CENTER JUST OPENED 7K APPOINTMENTS FOR SECOND DOSES ONLY: https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/locations.

New York to start vaccinating people with certain health conditions on February 15.

Starting February 15, New York will enter the second phase of its COVID vaccine distribution and allow people with specified health conditions to get the vaccine. The first phase focused essentially on health care workers, teachers, and people over the age of 65; the next phase focuses on people with the following conditions:

• Cancer (current or in remission, including 9/11-related cancers)

• Chronic kidney disease

• Pulmonary Disease, including but not limited to, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and 9/11 related pulmonary diseases

• Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities including Down Syndrome

• Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) including but not limited to solid organ transplant or from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, use of other immune weakening medicines, or other causes

• Severe Obesity (BMI 40 kg/m2), Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)

• Pregnancy

• Sickle cell disease or Thalassemia

• Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus

• Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)

• Neurologic conditions including but not limited to Alzheimer's Disease or dementia

• Liver disease

Source: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/phased-distribution-vaccine. You can see if you’re eligible to get the vaccine by taking this screener: https://am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/Public/prescreener. Note that you must show one of the following to prove eligibility: doctor's letter, medical information evidencing the condition, or a “signed certification” that you have the condition (though it is not totally clear to me what the state will accept for this last category).

Nearby locations for an appointment are the Javits Center and the Walgreens on 30th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues: https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/locations.