City Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi discussed Wednesday what would be a massive effort to immunize New Yorkers against COVID-19 for when a vaccination becomes available, likely late this year or in 2021.

"We're marshaling the entirety of our public health infrastructure to meet this challenge,” Chokshi said of the much anticipated plan.

What You Need To Know

  • Both Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo are outlining frameworks for safe vaccine distribution

  • Officials say a vaccination could become available, likely late this year or in 2021

  • City isn't specific on how, but plans to work with the state to guarantee maximum distribution of a safe, effective and free vaccine

  • Health officials discussed what would be a massive effort to immunize New Yorkers against COVID, but it's not clear the coordination between city and state

There's some historical precedent, from more than seven decades ago. 

"There is only one method for protecting people against the ravages of this disease, and that is vaccination,” Chokshi added.

That precedent is from 1947, when then City Health Commissioner Israel Weinstein urged residents to get vaccinated against smallpox.

Now, 73 years later, two plans are emerging to immunize against the coronavirus.

Both Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo outlined frameworks for safe vaccine distribution.

Both also acknowledged the need for guidance from the federal government, but not reliance, given how slow the feds were in rolling out COVID-19 testing.

"Winter is going to be the season of the vaccine. That may very well be the most challenging operation government has had to perform all through COVID,” said Cuomo Wednesday.

The city has a two phase plan: vaccinating health care workers, frontline and essential workers, and vulnerable groups first, then providing vaccinations to the general public.

Cuomo’s plan is more complex, with five stages of distribution, but health care workers also would be vaccinated first.

City officials said more than 2,500 health providers are currently enrolled in an immunization registry in preparation for a vaccine.

"The vaccine will be a crucial part of our rebirth. The vaccine will open up the doors to our bigger economic recovery. We need to be ready and then we need to move quickly," said de Blasio.

This is not the first time the mayor and the governor have not been on the exact same page in the pandemic. One of the unknowns is exactly how will the city and state plans coordinate.

City health officials aren't specific on that answer, but said they plan to work with the state to guarantee maximum distribution of a safe, effective and free vaccine.