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Coronavirus NYC: Rev. Al Sharpton gets COVID vaccine; city expands hours, appointments at some sites

Coronavirus Update for New York City

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Reverend Al Sharpton describes his vaccination experience

Mayor Bill de Blasio asked Rev. Al Sharpton about his experiences receiving the COVID vaccine.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that overnight shifts are being added to vaccine sites at Bathgate in the Bronx and Citi Field in Queens.

The city is also doubling appointments at Teacher's Prep and Martin Van Buren sites because the city's vaccine supply has increased.

There are also pop-up sites opening at First Corinthians Baptist Church in East Harlem and Mill Basin.

Lauren Glassberg has the latest on the vaccination sites in NYC and who is next in line for the shot.

Mayor de Blasio also announced that faith communities would open up pop-up sites, just as Reverend Al Sharpton and 10 pastors got vaccinated at Harlem Hospital.

He said his goal was to try to increase testing and vaccine awareness.

"We want to set an example to our community," Rev. Sharpton said. "I'm here saying I cannot afford not to take the shot."

Mayor de Blasio asked him why he personally chose to have the shot and how he felt.

"I personally took the shot because I feel two things; one, you have got to be sure that your loved ones and people you are around are not risking themselves being around you because you are playing some jaded game of Russian roulette saying, I may be still negative, I may not be. That's not fair to your loved ones even if you want to do that to yourself," Rev. Sharpton said. "And secondly, is that I wanted to set an example. I think those of us that are in the public ought to set a public example, and I didn't want to tell people to go do something that I would not go do myself."

Sharpton added that he was feeling well and did not feel any after-effects of the vaccine as of yet.

Eligible New Yorkers can currently schedule appointments by utilizing New York's "Am I Eligible" website or by calling the state's COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline at 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829).