A New Yorker getting the COVID-19 shot at a state vaccination pop-up site at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem (Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Office via Flickr)
Feb. 10, 2021 By Allie Griffin
Three COVID-19 vaccine pop-up sites will open in eastern Queens this week, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday.
The three sites — which will be located in Bayside, Jamaica and South Richmond Hill — are part of a state effort to create neighborhood-based vaccine sites at community centers, public housing complexes and cultural centers.
Korean Community Services in Bayside is hosting one of the vaccine sites on Thursday and Friday. It will be the first and only COVID-19 vaccination site in northeast Queens.
Its opening follows weeks of pleas from northeast Queens lawmakers and residents to add COVID-19 vaccination facilities in the area.
The Korean Community Services vaccine pop-up is located at 203-05 32nd Ave. and will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Thursday, Feb. 11 and Friday, Feb. 12.
There will be 250 doses available each day, according to Council Member Paul Vallone.
Joint statement w/ @RepGraceMeng, @LiuNewYork, @edbraunstein, @nily:
“Thank you to @NYGovCuomo for hearing the concerns of our community and opening a pop up site at KCS in Bayside, which will allow 500 residents to be vaccinated without traveling a long distance. 1/2— Paul Vallone (@PaulVallone) February 9, 2021
Another pop-up site will open on Saturday, Feb. 13 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Shelton Houses, located at 89-09 162nd St., in Jamaica.
A third vaccine site will open Friday, Feb. 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sikh Cultural Society, located at 95-30 118th St., in South Richmond Hill.
An additional eight pop-up vaccine sites will open in other parts of the state this week as well. Altogether, workers at the 11 sites are expected to vaccinate more than 3,100 people throughout the week, Cuomo said.
Each pop-up site will reopen in three weeks to administer second doses to those given their first dose this week.
New Yorkers must make an appointment in order to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at one of the sites. The appointments are reserved for residents of each community where the pop-up site is located.
Residents can schedule an appointment at somosvaccinations.com or by calling 1-833-SOMOSNY.
“By setting up these sites and partnering directly with the leaders and organizations who are trusted voices in these communities, we can simultaneously ensure access to the vaccine, while instilling confidence in it as well,” Cuomo said in a statement.
