Everything You Need To Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine

Since the release of the first COVID-19 vaccine, over 41 million people in the United States have been fully vaccinated against the virus. Public health officials recommend receiving the vaccine as soon as you are eligible in order to protect yourself and your community against the virus and, hopefully, help us move toward a sense of normalcy in the coming months. 

COVID-19 vaccine distribution has been confusing, to say the least, with misinformation abounding about the types of vaccines offered and the people who are currently eligible to receive them. While most states have begun distributing the vaccine to elderly people, access to the vaccine remains difficult for health care workers and those with underlying health conditions. Many college students are left wondering when they will be eligible to receive it and how they can secure an appointment when they are. Here is a comprehensive guide on everything you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine and when you can get it in the New York City area.

Currently, three major vaccines have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use: Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are given in two doses. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is the most recently authorized and is given in one dose instead of two.

All of the vaccines function by exposing a person’s immune system to the virus so that it can build up the necessary antibodies to protect them from future infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mild symptoms, including pain on the arm, headache, fever and fatigue, are common in the first few days after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

In New York State, all three vaccines are being distributed to more than 12 million currently eligible residents. As of March 17, the list of eligibility was expanded to include those over 60-years-old and certain essential employees. Most college students aged 18-24 are still not eligible for the vaccine in New York and the rest of the nation, as more vulnerable groups have taken priority in the sequence of vaccine distribution. However, President Joe Biden has recently urged states to make the vaccines accessible to all adults by May 1.

​Though it remains unclear exactly when all college students will be able to receive the vaccine, there are numerous mass vaccination sites in the general vicinity of Hofstra University. On Long Island, a site has been established at Jones Beach, roughly 20 minutes from Hofstra’s campus. In New York City, the Javits Center in Manhattan has become a mega vaccination site and is located about 45 minutes from Hofstra. If you make a vaccine appointment in New York State, you are required to produce proof of eligibility at your appointment. This can take the form of a letter from an employer or landlord, though other documents are accepted. You can view a full list here.  

When you are eligible for the vaccine, you can find a full list of where you can make an appointment in New York City here and information about where the vaccine can be obtained in Nassau County here, and in Suffolk County here. 

The bottom line is that the sooner the majority of us are vaccinated against COVID-19, the sooner the world can return to the levels of social activity of pre-pandemic days!

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