January 7, 2021: Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Dear Colleagues,

Vaccinations are continuing today, January 7, and the focus still remains on vaccinating individuals delivering direct patient care and all care team members and staff supporting them in person. Students beginning clinical rotations are also eligible and encouraged to get their vaccine. We will keep everyone updated as more groups are added, so please stay tuned.

As of today, nearly 30,000 staff at NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell, and Columbia have been vaccinated. This includes over 10,500 individuals on the Columbia Campus who are working in patient care areas, with over 5,500 of them Columbia employees and students. The CDC reports that there have been over 5.3 million people who have received their first dose of the vaccine.

Please join us for Town Halls scheduled next week to answer any questions you may have.

CUIMC Vaccine Town Halls with Drs. Anil Rustgi, Melissa Stockwell, Magda Sobieszczyk, Olajide Williams, Mary D’Alton, and Donna Lynne

Seminar on Structural Racism and the COVID-19 Vaccine

Vaccines are being administered to Columbia personnel in five locations, including the new vaccination site in Alumni Auditorium. Here’s where to go when you are notified:

First Dose Vaccinations

  • First dose vaccination on the NYP/CUIMC campus will be given ONLY in the Alumni Auditorium on the 1st Floor of the William Black Building, located at 650 West 168th Street (corner of 168th and Fort Washington Avenue) during the hours of 6 am to 9 pm Monday through Friday.
  • Columbia employees who work at the Allen Hospital and Lawrence Hospital can be vaccinated there on site, 6:45 am to 4 pm through Saturday this week.

Second Dose Vaccinations

  • Second dose vaccinations will be administered at the same location where you received your first dose. Please note that ICU and ED staff who received their first dose at satellite locations should come back for the second dose at the central location (i.e. Myrna Daniels or MSCHONY) as directed by your department.
  • Please come, when possible, for your second dose at the scheduled time as it will be critical in helping NYP make staffing and vaccine supply decisions based on those appointments, but please do keep to your scheduled day. Please note that many second dose appointments are now generically being made at 7 am on the day it is due, but you do not need to come at 7 am. You can come anytime that day but again please make sure to come that day.
  • Second dose reminders will be sent via Connect. For questions about where/when to go for your second dose on each campus, please go to the Employee Information section on the VaccineTogetherNY.org site. This link also contains information about how to sign up for Connect.

As a reminder, while CUIMC employees should be vaccinated through the vaccination program with NYP, we know that many of you have family members and friends who are also frontline workers and may be wondering how they can be vaccinated. As of this week, eligible New Yorkers can get the COVID-19 vaccine at sites located throughout the city. Please see this website for further details for eligible groups, locations and scheduling: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-vaccine-locations.page

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The FAQ documents on the CUIMC COVID Vaccine Information page continue to be updated so please check the site for the latest versions. Below is a highlighted Question of the Day to keep you informed.

My appointment date for my second dose no longer works for me. Can I reschedule it?

It is strongly recommended that you keep your appointment date for the second dose. If you need to reschedule your second dose, your appointment should be rescheduled during the same week as your original appointment. If you do need to reschedule, you may do so through NYP Connect. If you are not currently registered, you may do so here: https://www.myConnectNYC.org/newuser/

Thank you!

Magda Sobieszczyk, MD, MPH
Chief of Infectious Diseases and Co-Chair of the CUIMC COVID-19 Vaccine Committee

Melissa Stockwell, MD, MPH
Chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Health and Co-Chair of the CUIMC COVID-19 Vaccine Committee