Connor Murphy is 25 years old, and he's about to get his COVID-19 vaccine - a one-time shot.


What You Need To Know

  • The city announced that mobile vaccine vans will be placed at nightlife hotspots in the West Village, Bushwick in Brooklyn and Astoria in Queens

  • Young New Yorkers have lower rates of vaccination than older people

  • The vaccine is now available for people ages 12 to 17

He was the first person to get a shot at a mobile vaccine van, parked on the corner of Greenwich Avenue and Christopher Street, in the West Village.

Why now? The convenience.

"I’ve always been for getting it, not really a rush for me because I seem like a pretty healthy guy so, but now that it’s convenient enough to get it where I know I can, here I am," Murphy said.

That’s how the city plans to increase the rate of vaccinations among young people, like Murphy - mobile vaccination vans, parked at nightlife hot spots around the city, such as Bushwick in Brooklyn, Astoria in Queens, and the West Village.

Just over half of New Yorkers age 25 to 34 or 53%, got at least one dose, and even fewer, 45%, are fully vaccinated.

"And for the zillennial New Yorkers up to 25, we are going to meet them where they are,” Mayor de Blasio said. “And a lot of times that means meeting them at a nightlife venue, a bar, some place popular for people to gather.”

Murphy read about the mobile vaccine van online, and learned it would be around the corner where his girlfriend, teacher Caroline Beaty, lives.

She accompanied him for the shot.

“I’m a teacher, so I was vaccinated pretty early, so it was pretty easy for me," Beaty said. "But somebody like Connor, he took him a little bit longer. So now that it’s convenient, I think it’s a lot easier and encouraging people to get it.”

"I think it’s great," Murphy said. "There’s no reason not to unless you don’t believe in the vaccine or something but people who want to get it are easily able to get it - convenience."

And after the shot, he said he was "relieved."

His message to other young New Yorkers waiting to get the shot: "If you want to get it, get it. It’s all over the place."