The Brooklyn Cyclones’ stadium in Coney Island may become one of five COVID-19 vaccination centers that the city plans to open in the coming weeks, a local lawmaker told Brooklyn Paper.
“Here’s whats official: the stadium is being considered,” said Councilman Mark Treyger. “I have been pushing for Coney Island to be included.”
The five vaccination hubs — two of which are slated to open this weekend — will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will dole out a total of 100,000 vaccine doses weekly, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday.
The Surf Avenue arena, located by W. 17th Street, is one of several locations under consideration for the upgrades, according to Treyger. The arena is well-suited to become a vaccination center because it’s on city-owned land, it’s centrally-located in Coney Island, and it has a combination of outdoor and indoor space — a feature the city is seeking, he claimed.
A representative from the Parks Department reportedly called the Cyclones’ general manager recently to ask about using the space, and the general manager agreed. City officials plan to tour the arena soon, Treyger said. Representatives with the city’s Department of Health and the Brooklyn Cyclones did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
Meanwhile, New York State officials are also working to ramp up vaccine capacity. More than 3,700 medical providers have been approved to administer the vaccine across the state, including 845 sites in New York City, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday. By the end of this week, 911,000 vaccine doses will have been administered, Cuomo added.
However, the limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines will likely slow the first phase of the vaccine’s rollout, known as “Phase 1a,” Cuomo said on Tuesday. During this first phase, 2.1 million healthcare workers, nursing home residents and staff, and public school teachers are eligible to receive the vaccine.
In the next phase, known as “Phase 1b,” people over the age of 75 and essential workers will qualify for the vaccine — and will be able to receive it at the nearly 4,000 pharmacies, medical centers, and private urgent care clinics that the state has approved.
Residents will also be able to receive vaccines at the Javits Center in Manhattan, as well as on CUNY campuses, Cuomo announced.
