NEW YORK — Yankee Stadium will open as a mega vaccination site on Friday for Bronx residents only, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday.
“Yankee Stadium has always been known for its World Series banners, but now it’ll be recognized as a place where the people of the surrounding community in the Bronx can receive the vaccine doses that they need and deserve,” the mayor said in a press release.
Plans to turn the home of the Bronx Bombers into a vaccination hub were first announced last month, but the opening was delayed due to a shortage in supply.
With a 20% weekly increase in vaccine doses from the federal government, the city and state say the site can now begin operations.
The vaccines come at a critical time for the Bronx, which currently has the city's highest infection rate.
"It's abundantly clear that Black, Latino and poor communities have been hit the hardest by COVID, and the Bronx is no exception," Governor Cuomo said in a press release. "Our efforts to target vaccinations by locations with higher positivity rates have been working to not only keep the infection rate down, but to help ensure equity in our vaccine distribution process, and opening a mass vaccination site at Yankee Stadium - the Bronx's most iconic landmark - is the perfect solution to helping this borough get vaccinated and defeat COVID once and for all.”
Yankee Stadium will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. All appointments must be reserved online at Somosvaccinations.com in advance or by calling 1-833-SomosNY. To get the shot you must meet New York’s 1a or 1b vaccine eligibility requirements.
Cuomo also announced that 35 pop-up vaccination sites, including nine in Brooklyn and the Bronx, will open this week across the state in churches and community centers in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods.
The governor's office says this is part of an effort to bring the vaccine to low-income communities of color.
"More than 9,000 New Yorkers have been vaccinated through this effort and by making the vaccine accessible and delivered by trusted community partners, we can address the skepticism and bring this life-saving vaccine to those who need it most," said Cuomo.
New data released by Mayor de Blasio Sunday show efforts to reach out to Blacks and Latinos have not done enough. So far, white New Yorkers have received the vaccine at a much higher rate than other racial groups.
Cuomo has said that with the right amount of supplies, mega sites can vaccinate up to 10,000 people per day. The pop-up community sites are expected to immediately vaccinate over 25,000 people throughout the week, according to the governor’s office.
Citi Field was also set to be converted to a mega vaccination site, but the city has not yet announced when it will open.
Locations of the pop-up sites opening in Brooklyn and the Bronx:
Brooklyn
Christian Cultural Center
12020 Flatlands Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
Open Thursday, February 4 - Sunday, February 7: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
United Revival Mennonite Church
390 Melrose Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
Open Thursday, February 4 - Saturday, February 6 & Monday, February 8: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Howard Houses, Senior Adult Center
1797 Pitkin Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
Open Thursday, February 4: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
The Bronx
Mt. Carmel Baptist Church
1376 Prospect Avenue
Bronx, NY
Open Thursday, February 4 - Monday, February 8: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Greater Eternal Baptist Church
736 Elton Avenue
Bronx, NY
Open Thursday, February 4 - Saturday, February 6 & Monday, February 8: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Bronxworks
1130 Grand Concourse
Bronx, NY
Open Saturday February 6 - Wednesday, February 10: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Boston Road Houses, R.A.I.N Boston Road Senior Center
2424 Boston Road
Bronx, NY
Open Saturday, February 6: 9 a.m. -5 p.m.
NYCHA Castle Hill Senior Center
625 Castle Hill Avenue
Bronx, NY
Open Saturday, February 6 - Sunday, February 7: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Marble Hill Community Center
5365 Broadway
Bronx, NY
Open Saturday, February 6 - Sunday, February 7: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.