How to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Onondaga County

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New York state will extend COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all residents 16 years old or older on Tuesday, including Syracuse University students, faculty and staff residing in the state. 

Here is everything you need to know about making an appointment and getting the vaccine as the date approaches: 

Booking an appointment

In New York state, residents can book appointments through the state’s vaccine eligibility portal starting Tuesday. Onondaga County residents can also register for appointments at the county’s vaccine clinic through its vaccine portal. 

Residents can also sign up for the extra dose waiting list to get notified if and when the county has extra doses. 

Both the county and state have appointments currently available for the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. The state’s vaccination site in Syracuse is located at the New York State Fairgrounds Expo Center.

While all residents are eligible to make appointments starting Tuesday, anyone age 30 and over and eligible workers can make appointments now. 

Second dose appointments for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are automatically booked for recipients after their first dose. 

At the vaccine site

Anyone going to get vaccinated must fill out the state’s vaccination form and bring proof of eligibility to the vaccination site. 

Those receiving the vaccine must also present their health insurance to the vaccine provider. Insurance information is for administrative use, and residents will not be charged for the vaccine. 

After the vaccine is administered, those receiving the shot must wait for at least 15 minutes to monitor for any reactions.

SU’s vaccination capabilities

Syracuse University is awaiting state approval to become a vaccination site. 

Students who would like to receive the vaccine from SU if and when the site is approved must fill out a form through the Barnes Center at The Arch.
It is unclear where SU would host the vaccination site, though Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie, who has led SU’s COVID-19 response, said in a statement to The Daily Orange that there are “multiple locations” that could be utilized to administer the vaccine. 

SU is prepared to administer all three of the vaccines that the Federal Drug Administration has authorized for emergency usage: Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Moderna, Haynie said. 

SU has submitted all the “necessary paperwork” to the state and is awaiting approval, Haynie said. 

More stories on the COVID-19 vaccine in Syracuse:

• McMahon addresses vaccine rollout, economic recovery in annual address
• New York will open vaccine eligibility to residents over 16 next week
• SU will expect students to receive COVID-19 vaccine by fall, Syverud says
• Video: A guide to COVID-19 vaccine in Syracuse

New York state vaccination statistics

At least 33% of the New York state population has received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and over 20% have completed their vaccine series. 

In Onondaga County, over 175,000 people have gotten their first dose and over 120,000 have completed their vaccine series.