The first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine was administered in New York State in December 2020. (Credit: Scott Heins/Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo)
With a new coronavirus variant first discovered in the United Kingdom now detected in a patient in Saratoga, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is pushing for all international travelers arriving in New York to be tested for the virus.
“This country is playing mutation roulette,” the governor said during a press briefing Wednesday morning, by not requiring international travelers to be tested before entry.
In addition to the recently detected U.K. mutation, health officials are monitoring variants that have emerged in South Africa and Nigeria.
The first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine was administered in New York State in December 2020. (Credit: Scott Heins/Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo)
Hope for a healthier, safer future arrived in a single box aboard a UPS truck that backed up to the loading ramp at Peconic Bay Medical Center about 9:40 Tuesday morning.
Inside that box were thumb-sized vials of the COVID-19 vaccine. They were rushed inside, refrigerated and, shortly after 1 p.m., one vial was brought into a first-floor room where PBMC hospital staffs were poised to witness a historic moment.
And everyone knew it. They broke out in applause. It was applause from a group of medical professionals who, since last March, have been dealing with the ravages of the coronavirus.
The first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine administered in New York State. It arrived on the North Fork a day later.(Credit: Scott Heins/Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo)
The first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine arrived to the East End this week. Here, we break down some frequently asked questions about the vaccine and what people can expect next.
Q: How much does the vaccine cost?
A: There will be no cost to receive the vaccine, although vaccination providers may be able to charge administration fees. Vaccination providers can have the fee reimbursed by the patient’s public or private insurance company or through a relief fund for the uninsured.
AP Medical Writer Sandra Lindsay, left, an intensive care nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, becomes the first person in New York state to receive the new Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine during a live conference with Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday morning. Doctor Michelle Chester of Northwell Health, right, administers the vaccine.
(Scott Heins/Office of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo) Doctor Michelle Chester, of Northwell Health in Queens, prepares to administer the first coronavirus vaccine in New York state on Monday morning.
(Scott Heins/Office of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo) Doctor Michelle Chester, of Northwell Health in Queens, prepares to administer the first coronavirus vaccine in New York state on Monday morning.