ENDWELL, NY (WSKG) — The state-run vaccination clinic in Johnson City and all others around the state will be opened to walk-in visits beginning Thursday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced at the Southern Tier site Tuesday.
Flanked by several local elected officials, nurses and national guard members, Cuomo called getting the COVID-19 vaccine is a civic duty.
“Short, tall, Democrat, Republican, male, female, almost every major medical professional — and not just in the United States, worldwide — are taking the vaccine,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo was also joined by Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-123), Broome County Executive Jason Garnar, Binghamton Mayor Richard David, and SUNY Binghamton President Harvey Stenger.
Tuesday’s announcement was the second event in as many days where reporters have been allowed to attend and ask questions in-person, though the formal announcement was only released to press statewide about an hour beforehand.
Before Monday, the press had been kept from events in-person since December. Cuomo had cited COVID safety concerns.
Following the remarks, the other officials were ushered out leaving Cuomo to face reporters who asked him about investigations into alleged sexual misconduct.
The governor continued to deny the allegations made by several women, including an instance of groping as reported by the Albany Times Union.
Cuomo also responded to the U.S. Census Bureau’s reapportionment of state congressional districts. The data, released Monday, showed that New York will lose a congressional seat in 2023. However, 89 more people accounted for could have kept it.
Cuomo blasted the federal government for what he called “cooling” attitudes of immigrant communities toward responding to the census and said he was skeptical of the count.
“Do I think it was accurate to within 89? No," Cuomo said. "And we're looking at legal options. Because when you're talking about 89, I mean that could be a minor mistake in counting."
He later released a statement asking New York Attorney General Letitia James to review those legal options.