On Friday, Feb. 26, Assemblyman for the 81st Assembly District, Jeffrey Dinowitz, announced that the COVID-19 vaccination site located at Walton H.S. campus in Kingsbridge Heights has been relocated to Bronx High School of Science in Jerome Park. The assemblyman said that this was done because NYC Department of Education needed to reclaim the Walton H.S. campus for middle schoolers who were able to return to the classroom this past week.

 

“These two campuses are not very far away from each other (they are separated by Lehman College along Education Mile) and the procedure for getting a vaccine should remain the same as it was previously,” Dinowitz wrote. District 81 includes Kingsbridge, parts of Kingsbridge Heights, parts of Norwood, parts of Wakefield, parts of Marble Hill, Riverdale, Fieldston, and North Riverdale.

 

Bronx High School of Science is located at 75 West 205th Street (at Goulden Avenue). In terms of accessibility, the assemblyman said that street parking may be available around the Jerome Park Reservoir, and the center is also accessible by Bx10, Bx28, and Bx38 buses to Paul Avenue/West 205th Street, as well as by Bx1, Bx2, Bx22, and Bx26 buses to nearby stops. He added that the center is also near the Mosholu Parkway 4 subway.

 

Acknowledging that the rate of vaccination is not where it needs to be, the assemblyman said, “We continue to have problems with inadequate vaccine supply for New Yorkers who need the vaccine.” He added, “As the FDA evaluates a third vaccine option (which is expected to help address the need to vaccinate homebound seniors in their homes), I am optimistic that we are approaching a point when vaccine supply is able to meet demand.”

 

Dinowitz also reminded residents that Notify NYC will occasionally send out notifications of last minute vaccine appointments should they become available. He encouraged residents to sign up for the notifications: nyc.gov/notifynyc.

 

During the first Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition members’ meeting of 2021 on Friday, Feb. 26, a presentation was made by two local doctors about the various COVID-19 vaccines, including the research and testing that went into them. One doctor mentioned that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is expected to be approved by the FDA in the near future, and will only require one dose, unlike Pfizer and Moderna, which require two vaccine doses. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was subsequently approved on Saturday, Feb. 27.

 

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Feb. 25, Assemblywoman for the 80th Assembly District, Nathalia Fernández, who is running for the position of Bronx borough president, called on both the governor and the mayor to open an additional mass vaccination site in the North Bronx, saying, “If the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is about protecting people who need the most protection, then it is clear that The Bronx is drastically underserved.” She added, The Bronx is one of the places that bore the brunt of the coronavirus crisis, yet distribution efforts have focused on wealthy, white, Manhattan neighborhoods,” she said.

 

District 80 includes parts of Norwood, parts of Gun Hill Houses, Allerton, Pelham Parkway, Pelham Gardens, parts of Morris Park and Little Yemen.

 

Norwood News reported this week on a separate Lehman College vaccination educational session which also took place on Friday, Feb. 26. A list of most Bronx vaccination sites is included in the article.

 

As also reported previously by Norwood News, those who are 65 years old or older, who cannot use public or private transportation, and don’t have anyone to take them to their vaccination appointment, can avail of free transportation from the City to get vaccinated. Residents who use Access-a-Ride or Medicaid-provided transportation, can schedule rides as they normally would. For those who are homebound and 65 or older, they can schedule free ambulette transportation to their chosen vaccination site.

 

For those who are 65 years of age or older, and who do not use Access-a-Ride or Medicaid-provided transportation, they can also schedule a free ride to their vaccination site. The appointment confirmation e-mail from City-run sites will include more information on how to secure transport. Norwood News has reached out to the City’s health department to find out how the transportation service can be booked by those who do not use Access-a-Ride or Medicaid-provided transportation ordinarily. We will update this story upon receipt of a response.

 

To find a vaccination site near you, go to: https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/.

To schedule an appointment, go to: https://vax4nyc.nyc.gov/patient/s/.