Yankee legend Mariano Rivera showed up on Friday when the Bronx Fire House was transformed into a mega COVID-19 vaccination facility.
“I love it. It’s my house. Being here in the Bronx is huge, ”Rivera told reporters in front of Yankee Stadium as hundreds of locals lined up to get the first shot of the coveted two-dose coronavirus vaccine.
Rivera added: “You should not be afraid [to get the vaccine]”.
“We do not succeed, we have problems. If we get it, we will save lives, “the Hall of Fame said about the vaccine.
Rivera, along with Yankee President Randy Levine and Yankee manager Aaron Boone, appeared via live broadcast at Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Albany press conference.
“It’s wonderful what you’re doing. I used to throw here and save games and now it’s about saving lives, ”Rivera said as he spoke from Yankee Stadium.
“It’s bigger than baseball. We are talking about hundreds and millions of people “, continued the great baseball player. “I see so many smiling faces, that’s what it’s all about. Hope is the name of the game right now.
Levine said to “encourage” locals to go out and get vaccinated at the stadium, “trinkets” will be handed out to the Yankees.
“It’s bigger than baseball. This is a bigger purpose than baseball. We are very honored to work with you, “Levine told Cuomo.
Cuomo encouraged Rivera to show his support for the vaccination effort.
“The words you just used to save games at that stage and now save lives: never more true words were said. This vaccine saves lives, “said the governor.
“This vaccine can save their lives and your presence today will get this message across to many people because they trust you and respect you.”
The mass vaccination site at the stadium officially opened at 8 a.m. Friday, through a partnership with the city, state, Yankees, SOMOS Community Care and the New York National Guard, after weeks of delays due to shortage of vaccines.
Appointments to get them on site are reserved for residents of the Bronx, the district with the highest coronavirus positivity rate in the city.
Officials say the site can handle 15,000 appointments in the first week.
Shortly after noon on Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio also toured the site and spoke with reporters outside, alongside Rivera, Levine and Boone.
“It simply came to our notice then. It’s about equity. That’s about equity, “said de Blasio. “The Bronx is one of the places that suffered the brunt of this coronavirus crisis.”
“Yankee Stadium means a lot to New Yorkers,” he said. “Today is a place of healing, a place of protection for the people of the Bronx.”
The mayor, a Boston Red Sox fan, even put on a Yankees cap for the occasion.
“For just one day I will declare myself a fan of the Yankees,” Hizzoner said.
De Blasio, meanwhile, said the planned mass vaccination center at Queens’ Citi Field Stadium “will arrive in a few days.”
“We need [vaccine] “I want people to understand right now that New York City is giving away a third of the vaccines we could make if we had supply.”
“I am deeply concerned that we can make 400,000, 500,000 vaccines a week and we cannot get supply,” he said. “I’m telling the federal government that you have to bring the rest of the pharmaceutical industry into this fight.”
Hours earlier, Spike Lee made a surprise surprise in the morning at the stadium and chatted with locals waiting in line to get the COVID-19 vaccine.