Senator Hinchey Introduces Bill Requiring State-Run Vaccination Sites in Every County in New York

ALBANY, NY – Senator Michelle Hinchey (SD-46) today announced that she has introduced legislation (S5398) that would require the New York State Department of Health (DOH) to open state-run COVID-19 vaccination sites in every county of the state. Under the bill, counties have the ability to opt-out of the site requirement by providing written notification to the DOH. Hinchey’s bill would also require the DOH to make these new county-based sites accessible via the state’s ‘Am I Eligible’ website so that New Yorkers can view all available vaccine appointments at locations nearest to them, have the ability to schedule an appointment through the portal, and receive a notification when they become vaccine eligible.

“We have to ensure that every New Yorker who wants a vaccine can get a vaccine without having to travel multiple hours away from home,” said Senator Hinchey. “Our ability to protect the health and safety of our residents, reopen our economy, and overcome this pandemic requires an equitable approach to vaccine distribution, and that starts with establishing state-run sites in every county that needs one so that no community is left behind. State-run vaccination sites operate with great efficiency, but they tend to be clustered in high-density urban communities, which makes it next to impossible for people living in our more rural areas, especially our seniors, to easily get a vaccine. As federal vaccine supply ramps up, it is entirely within our reach to get all New Yorkers vaccinated in a timely manner, and this legislation will help get us there.”

The bill comes on the heels of Hinchey’s recent announcement that she secured a free COVID-19 rapid testing site at WMC Health in the City of Kingston, open to anyone interested in receiving a test. Hinchey, who represents Greene and Montgomery counties and parts of Albany, Schenectady, and Ulster counties, is actively working to secure both COVID testing infrastructure and state-run vaccination sites in high-need communities across her 150-mile district.