Governor Andrew Cuomo and State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker are responding to the recent announcement that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can continue to be distributed throughout the United States after a brief pause. 

Both Cuomo and Zucker have re-upped their recommendation of the vaccine in a joint statement Saturday morning.

"World-renowned public health experts from the federal government and our own independent state task force have reviewed the data and reaffirmed that the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can resume. The state of New York will resume administration of this vaccine at all of our state-run sites effective immediately. The vaccine is the weapon that will win the war against COVID and allow everyone to resume normalcy, and we have three proven vaccines at our disposal. I urge every New Yorker to take whichever one is available to them first. The sooner we all get vaccinated, the sooner we can put the long COVID nightmare behind us once and for all," said Cuomo.

The vaccine will be available to anyone 18 years and older. Distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses will resume in New York effective immediately.

"Yesterday evening, following a thorough safety review, the CDC and FDA lifted the recommended pause on the COVID-19 Johnson & Johnson vaccine and said that the United States can resume the use of the vaccine for adults, 18 years of age and older. Following discussions with New York State's Clinical Advisory Task Force and Governor Cuomo, I recommend that New York State accept the federal recommendations and resume Johnson & Johnson vaccinations effective immediately," said Zucker.

Zucker said Saturday that the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh the "extremely rare risks," and he urged New Yorkers to contact their healthcare providers with any questions about vaccines, but not to preference one over another while the state continues to push for herd immunitiy.

"We encourage all New Yorker's to get whichever vaccine is available to them, as quickly as possible, so we can finally defeat this virus and continue our path towards fully reopening our communities and economy," said Zucker.