At 20 years old, Matthew Cohen is eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in New York starting Tuesday.
The Murray Hill resident says the expansion in eligibility is a positive sign in the city’s recovery.
“New York is starting to get alive again because of it, and it’s not fully back to normal, but it’s feeling a lot better than it was,” he said.
New Yorkers 16 and older can start to schedule and get vaccinations come Tuesday, a week after people 30 and older became eligible as well.
Clare McGovern is a student at LIU Brooklyn and will be eligible to sign up, too.
“Some in my family have health issues, so I feel like being able to get the vaccine I could actually see them, because I haven’t seen them in a long time,” she said.
The ramp up in vaccinations also comes as the curfew is lifted for some businesses, including casinos, movie theaters, bowling alleys, pool halls, gyms, and fitness centers.
But bars and restaurants will still have to close at 11 p.m. The 12:00 a.m. curfew for catered events will remain in effect.
At Off The Wagon Bar & Grill’on MacDougal Street that means the patrons still can’t take advantage of the late night service advertised on the bar's sign.
Israel Valez is a regular and says the curfew affects the customers and the staff.
“For example, Gonzaga plays tonight at 9, a little after 9, They lose a lot of money, they lose a lot of money. I get the whole COVID thing, but this place follows the rules,” said Israel Valez.
Bartender Marc Honigman says at 11 p.m. some people keep the party going inside people’s homes — and he believes it’s safer in bars and restaurants where there are regulations.
“Here you have people wiping down tables, you have social distancing. We have security guards that are on top of all that stuff, barriers we built, all that stuff, and they’re going to people's houses where there’s none of that.”
The governor says the state will continue to review curfews.
As for vaccines, the state says more than four million people have been fully vaccinated in New York.