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COVID-19: Vaccine Eligibility

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The COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed in phases to groups of people at increased risk of COVID-19 exposure or severe COVID-19 illness. Phased distribution will take time, with vaccines not expected to be widely available to all New Yorkers until mid-2021.

The different phases of COVID-19 vaccine distribution are determined by New York State and may change. New York City is committed to ensuring that access to the vaccine is fair and equitable.

The table below reflects our best estimate of who will receive the vaccine and when. We will update our guidance regularly as we learn more.

People who are eligible based on their employment must attest that their job requires them to have in-person contact with members of the public or with co-workers, or that they are unable to work remotely. They must also have proof of employment in New York, such as an employee ID card, a letter from their employer or affiliated organization, or a recent pay stub (depending on your specific priority status).

If you are eligible for a vaccine based on your age, you must show proof of age and New York residency, such as New York State driver’s license, IDNYC, passport (age), birth certificate (age), mail (residency) or a rent or mortgage statement (residency).

Currently Eligible for the Vaccine

Phase 1a

Health Care Workers

  • High-risk hospital workers (emergency room workers, ICU staff and Pulmonary Department staff)
  • Federally Qualified Health Center employees
  • Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers
  • Coroners, medical examiners and certain funeral workers
  • Urgent Care providers
  • People administering COVID-19 vaccines, including local health department staff
  • All Outpatient/Ambulatory frontline, high-risk health care workers of any age who provide direct in-person patient care
  • All staff who are in direct contact with patients (such as reception staff)
  • All frontline, high-risk public health workers who have direct contact with patients, including those conducting COVID-19 tests, handling COVID-19 specimens and COVID-19 vaccinations

 This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Doctors who work in private medical practices and their staff
  • Doctors who work in hospital-affiliated medical practices and their staff
  • Doctors who work in public health clinics and their staff
  • Registered Nurses
  • Specialty medical practices of all types
  • Dentists and Orthodontists and their staff
  • Psychiatrists and Psychologists and their staff
  • Physical Therapists and their staff
  • Optometrists and their staff
  • Pharmacists and Pharmacy Aides
  • Home care workers
  • Hospice workers

Residents and Staff in Certain Group Living Facilities

  • Nursing homes and other congregate care facilities
  • NYS Office of Mental Health, Office People with Developmental Disabilities, and Office of Addiction Services and Supports facilities

Phase 1b:
As of Monday, January 11

Older Adults

  • People ages 65 and older

Grocery Workers

  • Public-facing grocery store workers

First Responders and Support Staff for First Responder Agencies

  • Fire Service
    • State Fire Service, including firefighters and investigators (professional and volunteer)
    • Local Fire Services, including firefighters and investigators (professional and volunteer)
  • Police and Investigations
    • State Police, including Troopers
    • State Park Police, DEC Police, Forest Rangers
    • SUNY Police
    • Sheriffs' Offices
    • County Police Departments and Police Districts
    • City, Town and Village Police Departments
    • Transit of other Public Authority Police Departments
    • State Field Investigations, including Department of Motor Vehicles, State Commission of Correction, Justice Center, Department of Financial Services, Inspector General, Department of Tax and Finance, Office of Children and Family Services and State Liquor Authority
  • Public Safety Communications
    • Emergency Communication and Public Safety Answering Point Personnel, including dispatchers and technicians
  • Other Sworn and Civilian Personnel
    • Court Officers
    • Other Police or Peace Officers
    • Support of Civilian Staff for any of the above services, agencies or facilities

Corrections

  • State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Personnel, including correction and parole officers
  • Local Correctional Facilities, including correction officers
  • Local Probation Departments, including probation officers
  • State Juvenile Detention and Rehabilitation Facilities
  • Local Juvenile Detention and Rehabilitation Facilities

P-12 Schools, College, Child Care and Early Intervention

  • P-12 school or school district faculty or staff (includes all teachers, substitute teachers, student teachers, school administrators, paraprofessional staff and support staff including bus drivers)
  • Contractors working in a P-12 school or school district (including contracted bus drivers)
  • In-person college instructors
  • Licensed, registered, approved or legally exempt group child care
  • Licensed, registered, approved or legally exempt group child care providers
  • Employees or support staff of licensed or registered child care setting
  • Licensed, registered, approved or legally exempt child care providers
  • Early Intervention therapists and teachers with active service authorizations (as of January 13)
  • State Office of Children and Family Services:
    • State operated staff
    • Licensed or certified residential programs staff and eligible residents

Public Transit

  • Airline and airport employees
  • Passenger railroad employees
  • Subway and mass transit employees (MTA, LIRR, Metro North, NYC Transit, Upstate Transit)
  • Ferry employees
  • Port Authority employees
  • Public bus employees

Homeless Shelters

  • People living in a homeless shelter where sleeping, bathing or eating accommodations must be shared with people who are not part of their household
  • People working (paid or unpaid) in a homeless shelter where sleeping, bathing or eating accommodations must be shared by people who are not part of the same household, in a position where there is potential for interaction with shelter residents

Other Residential Programs and Supportive Housing

  • Staff and residents of residential programs for victims of domestic violence and family type home for adults
  • Staff and residents of unlicensed congregate supportive housing

Next Eligible Groups

Phase 1b:
Likely starting February 2021

  • Other frontline essential workers (to be determined by New York State)
  • Other at-risk groups (to be determined by New York State)

Phase 1c:
Likely starting March-April 2021
Likely includes:

  • People with certain underlying health conditions (to be determined by New York State)
  • All other essential workers (to be determined by New York State)

Phase 2:
Likely starting Summer 2021

  • All other people

If you have questions, call the New York State COVID-19 hotline at 888-364-3065.