There are more than seven million people in New York who are eligible to schedule and receive a COVID-19 vaccine. But the expanded pool includes millions of older New Yorkers who have struggled to schedule an appointment, let alone get one. 

"The system is not designed to be user friendly and people especially in the 75 and older group are not savvy with a computer," said Ed Farrell, the executive director of the Retired Public Employees Association. "Some may not even have a computer."

Farrell's group this week proposed the creation of a "one-stop-shop" mechanism for getting an appointment. Essentially, the association wants the state to enable vaccine recipients to provide their information, have it stored in an online database and then receive a call when their appointment is ready. 

This would avoid having older New Yorkers -- or their kids -- continuously re-enter the same information each time they try to sign up. 

"They create a chronological list based upon the date that you entered, when it's your turn, when there's vaccine available, they notify you," Farrell said. 

The state's vaccine distribution has lagged in part due to a lack of supply of the vaccine on the federal level. Last week, state officials directed New Yorkers who are age 65 and older to have their vaccine administered at pharmacies, while health care workers schedule the vaccination at a hospital.

"Most pharmacies do not have vaccine," Farrell said. "It would be easier for the consumer to have one location, register your information, the state can figure out what county you live in and just notify you. It puts all the onus on a population that is an elderly population."

Farrell does not expect there to be a high refusal rate among his group, which represents predominantly older retired public workers.

"Our people want the vaccine," he said. "They're desperate. I know people here in the Albany area who are driving to Plattsburgh. I know people who are driving to Potsdam, which is quite a haul."