COVID NY Update: Yankee Stadium Opens as Vaccination Megacamp for Bronx Residents

NEW YORK (WABC) – Yankee Stadium was officially inaugurated as a massive vaccination site against COVID-19 at 8 a.m. Friday, with the help of a Yankee legend.

Mariano Rivera joined Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday afternoon at the site, which is only available to Bronx residents. An appointment is required and can be made by visiting Somosvaccinations.com or by calling 1-833-SomosNY.

Appointments are still available, the mayor said, encouraging eligible Bronx residents to sign up. About 300 appointments were reserved just Thursday for city employees analyzing the Bronx.

While the stadium operates as a vaccination site 8 to 20 hours daily, the mayor said it would be done 24 hours with more supply.

State officials say they have 15,000 appointments ready for next week, but worries that they won’t be booked fast enough.

RELATED: Where can you get a COVID-19 vaccine? Monitoring availability and progress

“Some city and state strongly agree: we need to take action that really supports equity,” de Blasio said. “The Bronx has been badly affected by the COVID crisis. This place, this historic place, this amazing place, will be for the people of the Bronx.”

Employees have been doing the work of convincing eligible people that the vaccine is safe.

The clinic is run by a well-known name, SOMOS Community Care, with traits administered by doctors who work and live in the Bronx.

“Confidence is there,” said SOMOS President Dr. Ramon Tallaj. “They believe in us and that’s why it’s so important that we’re deciding to do this. And we’re prepared. People need us to get the vaccine to give it to the people in our community.”

MORE NEWS “We don’t know how we’re going to pay our bills”: New York restaurant owners react to reopening indoor dining room with 25% capacity

Last season he was not allowed to indulge in the stands, so today is the first time the general public has been allowed inside the Yankee Stadium since 2019.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” a resident told Eyewitness News. “I trust science and I trust what they try to do with people when it comes to everyone’s health.”

In addition to the stadium, the state also opens 35 new emerging vaccination sites in New York City churches, community centers and public housing.

Citi Field is also planned to be used as a separate site, but there are currently not enough doses.

READ ALSO: New Jersey residents want answers after not receiving unemployment benefits for weeks

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 COVERAGE

Positive COVID-19 cases by zip code – New York City

New York City COVID-19 Vaccine Follower
New Jersey COVID-19 Vaccine Follower
Find out if you are eligible and where you can get the vaccine
Do you have symptoms of coronavirus?
Where to test in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut
SEE: eyewitness to a pandemic
Coronavirus Disease Control and Prevention Centers

Submit a tip or news question