Sites at Broadway Junction and E. 180 St Subway Stations Strategically Located in Areas with Low Vaccination Rates and Accepting Walk-Ins Beginning Wednesday, September 29
34,345 People Vaccinated at MTA Pop-Up Sites Since Program's May 12 Launch
Anyone Who Receives One-Dose Vaccine at MTA Sites Eligible to Receive Free 7-Day MetroCard or Round Trip LIRR or Metro-North Ticket
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced two new pop-up vaccination sites in collaboration with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The sites will be at the Broadway Junction and E. 180 St subway stations, strategically located in areas where vaccination rates remain low. The successful program that has brought pop-up sites at MTA station stops launched on May 12, initially at eight stations across New York City Transit, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad, offering the public the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. As of yesterday, 34,345 people have been vaccinated at these locations since the program's launch. The program provides anyone, including those visiting New York, the opportunity to get vaccinated without needing to set an appointment - and with the incentive of a free 7-day MetroCard or a free round trip LIRR or Metro-North ticket. On June 17, the program was extended at Midtown transit hubs Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station.
"More people are returning to the workplace in-person, and with the increase in ridership across the MTA system we have a great opportunity to reach even more people with pop-up sites at station stops," Governor Hochul said. "If you still need to get your shot and are passing by one of these stations, you can just walk in to get the single-dose vaccine and then be on your way. It's that seamless, and it's the best thing you can do to better protect yourself and others from COVID-19."
The new sites at Broadway Junction and E. 180 St will target New Yorkers in two communities where vaccination rates are low. The Broadway Junction station in Brooklyn serves the subway lines, giving Brooklyn and Queens residents easy access to the new site. The E. 180 St station in the Bronx serves the lines, where vaccination rates remain the lowest. Both sites will be open Mondays through Fridays.
The operation at E. 180 St. will run each day from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. The Broadway Junction site will be open between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Two existing sites at Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal will be in operation until Tuesday, September 28, before moving resources to Broadway Junction and E. 180 St. the next day.
"Increasing vaccination rates is vital to ensuring New York's recovery stays on track," said Janno Lieber, MTA Acting Chairman and CEO. "We are back to carrying three million people a day on subways. By positioning pop-up sites at two of the busier stations in the system, we are bringing the vaccine right to New Yorkers who otherwise might not have been able to take time off to get the vaccine. The more people who are vaccinated, the safer our state is for everyone, and we'll continue to work with Governor Hochul to pursue all avenues to distribute the vaccine."
"The vaccine remains the most effective deterrent to COVID-19," said Patrick Warren, MTA Chief Safety Officer. "Promoting a safe environment is our highest priority and we look forward to seeing more New Yorkers in the subway system to take advantage of this important program and protect themselves and their loved ones from this virus."
The MTA continues robust messaging to advise the public about availability of the sites. Digital messages continue to run on 12,000 screens at MTA stations, onboard train cars and buses to promote the site locations and hours of operation. Promotional content is being pushed to three million followers across MTA social media platforms, and wayfinding signage is posted at station pop-up locations to help guide traffic flow.