Mariano Rivera joined Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday afternoon at the venue, which is only available to Bronx residents. An appointment is required and can be made by visiting Somosvaccinations.com or by calling 1-833-SomosNY.
Appointments are still available, the mayor said, while encouraging eligible Bronx residents to sign up. About 300 meetings were booked Thursday alone by employees of the city studying the Bronx.
While the stadium functions as a daily vaccination site between 8.00 and 20.00, the mayor said it will be built 24 hours with more supplies.
State officials say they have 15,000 appointments ready for next week, but there is concern that they will not reserve them soon enough.
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“Something in the city and state strongly agrees: we need to take action that truly supports equity,” de Blasio said. “The Bronx was hit very hard in the COVID crisis. This site – this historic site, this amazing site – will be for the people of the Bronx.”
Staff have worked to convince those eligible that the vaccine is safe.
The clinic is run by a well-known name – SOMOS Community Care – with photos taken by doctors who work and live in the Bronx.
“Trust is there,” said SOMOS President Dr. Ramon Tallaj. “They believe in us and that is why it is so important to choose to do this. And we are ready. People need us for the vaccine to be given to people in our community. “
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Fans were not admitted to the stands last season, so today is the first time the general public is allowed to enter the 2019 Yankee Stadium.
“Don’t worry at all, don’t worry,” a resident told Eyewitness News. “I have confidence in science and I have confidence in what they are trying to do with people in terms of everyone’s health.”
In addition to the stadium, the state is also opening 35 new pop-up vaccination sites in churches, community centers and public housing in New York.
Citi Field is also planned to be used as a separate site, but there are not enough doses at present.
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