NEW YORK – The Mayor of New York City alongside the actor of Puerto Rican descent and star of the musical from Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda, celebrated the opening of a new COVID-19 vaccination site in Times Square dedicated to people working in the theater, film and television industry.
The mayor announced plans to launch that vaccination site in 20 Times Square, on West 47th Street, at the end of last month. Reaffirming the opening Monday, de Blasio said the site, which was initially supposed to be for theater workers only, would also serve film and television employees. The city is working with unions on outreach, he said.
The center will be open seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
“This is how a recovery works for all of us, to bring the entire city back and ensure that everything that makes New York City great comes together,” de Blasio said. “It is part of the soul of our city. It is just part of what makes us special.”
During the event Broadway artists sang several iconic New York songs such as the legendary Frank Sinatra song. New York, New York. The artists performed on a stage in the middle of Tims Square on a rainy day.
That performance even made the great Miranda cry.
“This is the first live performance I’ve seen in a year and a half, so I’m excited today,” said the Broadway icon.
In addition to the vaccination site at 20 Times Square, there will be a mobile unit for off-Broadway workers and pop-up COVID-19 testing sites hosted by theaters. The initial announcement came days before Cuomo allowed smaller arts and entertainment venues across the state to open at 33 percent capacity. It has also allowed the reopening of large indoor and outdoor spaces.
For now, all 41 Broadway theaters are closed through at least May 30, but de Blasio has said September is a more likely target. While some theaters might open under the latest Cuomo rules, most theaters have only a maximum capacity of 500 to 1,000 seats, making profit with capacity limits extremely difficult.
When asked if she could see Broadway running at half capacity, Miranda admitted Monday that she didn’t know.
“I think we have to trust the science and follow the recommendations,” added Miranda, who received her own vaccine in the Bronx.
The hope – and the plan – is that increased vaccines will lead to increased capacity limits, more public confidence, and ultimately a faster recovery for the starving economies of the state and New York City. . To date, New York State has fully vaccinated 24.9 percent of its population, nearly one in five New Yorkers, while 37.9 percent have received at least one vaccine. In the city, 35.4 percent of the population have received at least one injection, while 22.4 percent report a complete vaccination series.
The vaccine is now available in New York for all New Yorkers age 16 and older. For information on how to make an appointment, click here.
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