Now in NYS: 12 To 15 Year-olds Eligible For COVID Vaccine

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced yesterday afternoon that could have a big impact on the fight against COVID-19 - children who are 12 to 15 years old are now eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine. This is a big move considering that according to Governor Cuomo's Office, children under the age of 18 represent more than 20 percent of new coronavirus cases in the state.

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Eligibility for this age group came from an Pfizer vaccine endorsement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), followed by a review of data and the Federal Drug Administration expanding the emergency use authorization for the vaccine early this week. Then Governor Cuomo asked Dr. Howard Zucker who is New York's State Health Commissioner, to meet with New York State's Clinical Advisory Task Force for a final recommendation. All that came together to get us where we are now with 12- to 15-year-olds across the state now able to receive the Pfizer vaccine that comes in two doses administered 3 weeks apart.

The Pfizer vaccine is currently available at state-run mass vaccination site, SUNY Oneonta which operates 7 days a week in the campus' Alumni Field House. It is a collaboration between The National Guard and Bassett Healthcare Network.

To find out more about getting a COVID-19 vaccine at SUNY Oneonta, visit am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov.

LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.