Here’s How to Register for the COVID-19 Vaccine

The COVID-19 vaccine is currently being distributed to specific groups -- first beginning with health care workers, and now it's expanding.

The next group eligible for the vaccine, called group 1b, includes firefighters, teachers, public safety workers, and residents over the age of 75.

If you're in that group -- or even if you're not -- you can register with the Department of Health for your vaccine.

There's now an online portal where you can submit your information, and the Department of Health will notify you when you become eligible for a vaccination.

You'll be asked a series of questions that help determine what group you would fall in, and you'll be given instructions on where to obtain the vaccine if you are eligible.

If you're not, you'll still be able to submit your contact information so you can be notified when you do eventually become eligible.

According to WIVB:

To date, New York State has given out 543,000 doses of the vaccine. In week one, hospitals administered 33,000, while this week, 259,000 vaccines have been administered.

But the vaccine rollout is slow -- based on the current vaccination rates, Governor Cuomo said it would take 14 weeks to vaccinate everyone in the state who are in groups 1A and 1B; that would mean vaccines for anyone other than those groups would not be available until April.