This past year has been incredibly difficult for Central New York. The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated our communities and, unfortunately, the battle isn’t over yet. But the good news is that there is a light at the end of this dark tunnel. Since December, thousands of eligible New Yorkers have been getting vaccinated, bringing us closer to a return to normalcy.

Ensuring that eligible New Yorkers receive the vaccine is absolutely critical to helping our communities recover and keeping the state’s economy open. The federal government has approved vaccines from a number of manufacturers that have passed rigorous safety standards and undergone extensive clinical trials. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these vaccines are subject to the most intense safety monitoring in our nation’s history. They’ve been proven to be safe and effective.[1]

Here at home, Onondaga County has been hard at work vaccinating the many residents who are currently eligible, including health care and essential workers, teachers, restaurant and food service workers, grocery store workers, seniors over 65, and those with certain underlying conditions. You can check your eligibility and set up a first appointment here: https://am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov.

We’ve all heard stories of loved ones helping eligible people book vaccines. It’s encouraging to see so many people, particularly young people who are not yet eligible for vaccines themselves, helping their mothers, fathers, grandparents and more use the internet to secure appointments. Getting vulnerable people vaccinated is important because it will most likely protect them from the life-threatening symptoms of COVID-19.

For those residents who are having difficulty booking an appointment online and don’t know who to call on for help, whether that’s due to trouble navigating the appointment website or limited access to the internet, my office is here to help. Please note, my office can’t guarantee a vaccine appointment, but we are available to assist those who need help accessing the internet. I want to ensure that those looking to book an appointment don’t have to deal with unnecessary hurdles and headaches.

As vaccine distribution ramps up, I’ll continue working to get our families and businesses through this pandemic and fighting for measures that promote economic growth, protect our workers and get all New Yorkers the care they deserve. To stay up to date on COVID-19 information in Onondaga County, visit covid19.ongov.net.

As always, my door is open if you need help with this or any other community issue. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at 315-452-1115 or StirpeA@nyassembly.gov.

[1] cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/safety-of-vaccines.html