New York, Tennessee, West Virginia, Arizona expanding eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines

New York, Tennessee, West Virginia and Arizona on Monday announced expansions of COVID-19 vaccine eligibility requirements, lowering the minimum age for people to receive vaccines.

New Yorkers aged 50 and older will be eligible to receive a vaccine starting on Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced in a statement.

“We continue to kick vaccinations into overdrive throughout the state by expanding eligibility, establishing new vaccination sites and allowing providers to reach new populations,” Cuomo said.

In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee (R) announced that adults age 55 and older, in addition to people who work in critical infrastructure industries, are now officially eligible to receive a vaccine.

Lee also said that all state residents age 16 and older will be able to receive a vaccine beginning April 5.

All individuals age 16 and older in West Virginia are also now eligible to receive the vaccine, Gov. Jim Justice (R) announced. And all individuals age 16 and older in Arizona will be eligible to receive vaccines at state-operated inoculation sites in Maricopa, Pima and Yuma counties beginning on Wednesday.

Context: States are racing to meet President Biden’s directive of opening up vaccinations to all adults by May 1.