OLEAN — New York state will set up a mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic site at Jamestown Community College’s Olean campus and to open on Friday.
The vaccination site will focus on residents of Cattaraugus, Allegany and Chautauqua counties and appointments must be made through the New York State Health Department vaccine website: https://am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/
Dr. Kevin D. Watkins, Cattaraugus County public health director, told members of the board of health Tuesday that the state’s announcement was welcome news in a county where only 9% of the population has been vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Watkins said this month marks the one-year anniversary of the county’s fight against COVID-19 and he was thankful that vaccination had begun — if slowly, due to a lack of supply.
The board dedicated the meeting to the late Dr. Dennis DePerro, the St. Bonaventure University president who died of COVID-19 complications in a Syracuse hospital on Sunday.
Watkins pointed out that the county health department is not involved with the state clinic. County residents on the county health department’s COVID-19 vaccine wait list would not be called for appointments for the state vaccine site, which are made online.
The county’s COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center can be reached at (716) 701-3777.
Watkins said those at the call center will try to assist eligible residents without computers or internet service in getting appointments on the state website. The state site will remain open through March 12.
Watkins said 9,114 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the county. Some have had two doses, while others are waiting for their second shot of Moderna or Pfizer.
“With 76,000 residents, we have a long way to go,” he added.
Watkins also welcomed the latest entry into the vaccine mix, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which requires only one shot and can be stored in a refrigerator.
“I hope the Johnson & Johnson vaccine opens the door for more people to get vaccinated,” said Watkins, who has already put in an order to the state for doses.
Some pharmacies are getting as much as 100 doses of the vaccine a week for those age 65. People need to contact their pharmacy or make appointments through the pharmacy company website.
The county health department, which is vaccinating group 1B at this point, has been getting between 200 and 300 doses of vaccine a week.
The county health department continues to vaccinate police, firefighters, teachers, college professors, grocery workers, taxi drivers, restaurant workers, workers at facilities for the developmentally disabled, hotel workers and those 65 and older.
After canceling clinics two weeks ago because of national weather delays, the county received a double dose last week and held a mass vaccination clinic at the Seneca Allegany Resort and Casino Events Center in Salamanca.
This week, 500 doses were received for clinics the county will conduct Wednesday at Seneca Allegany and Thursday at the Delevan Volunteer Firemen’s Training Center.
Watkins said 200 doses are for essential workers, 200 for people age 65 and older and 100 for those with developmental disabilities and those with comorbidities such as obesity and diabetes.
Watkins said the state’s claims of equitable distribution of the vaccine doesn’t hold up to analysis. For example, Cattaraugus, Allegany and Chautauqua counties had vaccinated 9%, 6% and 12%, respectively, of their residents.
Three similar counties in the northeast corner of the state, St. Lawrence, Franklin and Clinton, had each vaccinated about 20% of their residents, he said.
“The state talks about equality, but I’m not sure that equality trickles down to the southwest part of the state,” Watkins said.
At last month’s board of health meeting, Watkins reported only a few cases of influenza had been confirmed in the county this season — thanks most likely to the facial masking, social distancing and cleaning protocols in effect due to COVID-19.
Then, last week, Cattaraugus County showed up as the only dark-blue color on a New York state map, indicating a spike in influenza. This is something normally seen first downstate or in a larger population center like Buffalo, Watkins explained.
“For some reason, we were seeing a large number of cases of influenza,” he said. There have been 40 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza A and B this season.
It turns out, a large number of asymptomatic St. Bonaventure University students, who tested negative for COVID-19, were found to have influenza. The results were uploaded into the state Department of Health reporting system and showed up in Cattaraugus County.
Watkins said the influenza cases help highlight why his department continues to encourage facial masks, social distancing and good hygiene.
It’s not too late to get an influenza shot, Watkins said, noting the health department still has some high-dose vaccine recommended for older residents.
