More sites added
Ten new state-run mass vaccination facilities will open across the state.
Ten new state-run mass vaccination sites will open across the state in the coming weeks, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Monday, leveraging the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine that requires just one shot and doesn’t need hyper-cold storage.
One site will be in the Capital Region, at 50 Gurney Lane in Queensbury. More details on the hours for the sites and how to get appointments will be available soon.
Cuomo announced the new sites Monday from the Javits Center in Manhattan, which he said did more vaccinations over the weekend than any other site in the country. He was joined by Health Commissioner Howard Zucker and Black clergy members from downstate, and he highlighted the significant racial disparities that continue to exist in vaccination rates. The supply of vaccines has sharply increased over the past few months, and experts have said it should continue to do so in the weeks and months to come, allowing an expansion of the distribution network.
The other new state sites will be in New York City, Long Island and western New York, as well as in the Hudson Valley, Mohawk Valley and Southern Tier.
Members of the press were not present and Cuomo took no questions. His administration is facing dual scandals — the obfuscation of nursing home COVID-19 fatality data and sexual harassment allegations. Democratic leaders have called for Cuomo to step down.
Other Capital Region vaccine updates
As vaccines continue to be distributed across the state, officials say there is light at the end of the tunnel. Twenty-three percent of the Albany County population has received at least one dose of a vaccine. Saratoga County on Monday also had 23 percent with first doses; Warren County has the most saturation in the Capital Region, with 26 percent of people receiving the first dose. Officials said the goal is to reach a 70 percent vaccination rate in order to achieve herd immunity.
At a press conference in Albany County Monday, health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen marked International Women’s Day by reflecting on the fact that if the coronavirus pandemic had taken place when her children were in elementary school, she would likely not have been able to do the job she’s doing today.
“It’s not lost on me, when we talk about the populations that have been affected by the pandemic, that women have been affected in a way that is disproportionate to the effect on men,” she said.
“Change needs to be made so that women can continue to work and continue to be productive in society and have the support they need through child care,” she said.
Whalen also tipped her hat to her employees in the health department, most of whom she said are women who have been working long hours and making great sacrifices over the past year.
There were 56 new positive cases of COVID-19 overnight in Albany County, bringing the five-day average of daily positives down to 64.6 from Sunday’s 65.2. The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the county has also dropped to 28, the lowest number the county has seen since Nov. 6, Mccoy said.
There was one more resident death overnight, a man in his 90s. In Schenectady County, a woman in her 80s also died after contracting the virus.
Officials urged residents to take any vaccine that is available to them, noting some people have walked away from appointments if there was no vaccine of their choice — particularly Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine, which officials said is appealing because it’s a single-dose vaccine.
“We do continue to see cases cross the county; we do continue to see deaths,” Whalen said. “The vaccine that’s right for you is the vaccine that is available for you.”
On the heels of the Senate passage this weekend of the American Rescue Plan, a roughly $1.9 trillion federal stimulus relief package, local officials celebrated the anticipated funding to local municipalities they say is much needed.
The state will receive $23 billion through the aid package, with $12.5 billion going toward direct state aid and the rest of the funds allocated for education, transit and more.
Local governments will also be receiving funds directly. Albany County Executive Dan Mccoy said Albany County will be receiving $55 million, Albany city $72 million, the town of Colonie $7.5 million, Bethlehem $5.9 million, Guilderland more than $6 million, New Scotland over $1.5 million, Altamont $1.3 million and the village of Green Island $500,000.
“This is the first time federal government has provided direct, unrestricted aid directly to local governments. It’s unprecedented,” said Stephen Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties. “We all need to work together to use these funds in a way to strengthen our communities for the future. This is about rebuilding our society POST-COVID.”