Latest coronavirus updates in New York: Sunday, January 10, 2021

Just because you're eligible for a vaccine next week, doesn't mean you should expect to get it next week.

After seeing a slow initial rollout of COVID-19 vaccine allocations in NY hospitals, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Department of Health are establishing a new, larger distribution network to administer more doses more quickly.

"Caution, caution, caution, because the supply is a major problem", Cuomo said at his Friday briefing.

Starting next week, people who are 75 or older can get the vaccine in NY.

The three cases were sequenced through DoH's Wadsworth Center which had analyzed more than 2,200 viral sequences as part of the state's new strain testing program, said an official release on Saturday, Xinhua news agency reported. "Sites will include pharmacies, doctors' offices, Javits Center & more". "When you go to the website, it will show you places in your area, geographically, that will be receiving vaccine..."

"The volume is going to be very high", Cuomo said.

The vaccination sites that opened in Brooklyn and the Bronx will operate by appointment 24 hours a day starting Monday.

"Bad news", Cuomo said Saturday. Two of the cases are connected to the initial discovery of the United Kingdom strain identified in Saratoga Springs last week, while a third case, unrelated to the Saratoga Springs exposures, has been traced back to an individual living in Massapequa, Nassau County. "Three more cases of the U.K. COVID strain have been found".

The governor said he remains concerned about keeping hospital workers healthy with the more-contagious coronavirus mutation now confirmed in the state, and said that, while hospitals can vaccinate anyone who is eligible, they will continue to prioritize health care workers.

In addition to the thousands of distributors being added, Cuomo said that the Department of Health is also setting up mass distribution sites across the state that will be able to provide thousands of vaccines.

Wadsworth and DoH had forged agreements with six hospitals from across the state to obtain additional samples and is continuing to make arrangements with other hospitals to do the same, it said.