TRI-COUNTY PARTNERS
Local county leaders announce additional 3,000 vaccine doses for 65+
ALBANY, N.Y. » The Capital Region is an interconnected place where people cross county lines for work and play alike. Demonstrating how interconnected our communities are, Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin and Schenectady County Manager Rory Fluman, joined Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy, for a joint press briefing Wednesday morning in Albany.
The three discussed their ongoing partnership to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, it was announced that an additional 1,000 Pfizer vaccines will be allocated to each county. Those vaccines will specifically target residents who are 65 and older.
“The coronavirus doesn’t know county lines, and our residents are constantly
crossing our borders to go to commute, to shop and now with the Washington Avenue Amory mass vaccination site opening today, to get vaccinated. That’s why I fought for these vaccine doses and made sure my fellow county leaders had access. We’re in this together, and the state recognizes that,” McCoy stated on the partnerships.
McLaughlin echoed those sentiments and spoke to the solid relationships between county leaders on battling back the pandemic.
“We do appreciate the partnership with Albany County, Schenectady County, and Saratoga County. We do really work well together. I think sometimes people don’t necessarily see that, the stuff that’s going on behind the scenes but we do all have a great relationship and the ability to communicate and work together,” McLaughlin remarked.
“If you look around this place in the morning and there’s people going back and forth across those bridges and over 890 into Schenectady. This is the Capital Region. It’s not just Albany County and Schenectady and Rensselaer, it’s a region and the intermix between the counties is very real and it’s on an everyday basis as it should be,” McLaughlin noted on the interconnectedness of the region.
Upon the announcement, this will mark the first Pfizer vaccines received by Rensselaer County. According to McLaughlin, the vaccines will be distributed to family physicians and other medical providers. Additionally, Rensselaer County will host a vaccine clinic this week
at the county POD at Hudson Valley Community College for essential workers, seniors and those with comorbidities.
McCoy also spoke to how the additional doses will help his county’s vaccination efforts as well.
“With these additional doses, Albany County will be able to get over 2,000 shots in the arms of our older residents at this Saturday’s clinic at the Times Union Center. On top of that, I’m looking forward to providing 1,600 first doses and more than 900 second doses at the vaccine POD tomorrow night for those who are eligible, including those with co-morbidities. And it’s my hope that the state will expand vaccine eligibility to more of our essential county workforce who have been on the frontlines since day one of this pandemic,” McCoy explained on ramping up vaccinations.
To that end, Wednesday marked the first day of the mass vaccination site at the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany, to help residents in underserved neighborhoods. All residents in eligible zip codes in Albany, Rensselaer and Schenectady counties may sign up for vaccine appointments.
In helping transport people to the site CDTA announced that it will run a complimentary trolley service to get the community to and from the federal vaccination site.
The service started Wednesday and will operate daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., running approximately every 10 minutes. The trolley stop will be located at the front entrance of the Armory, at 195 Washington Avenue along with pick up and drop off at the OGS Elk Street parking lot.
During the press brief, McCoy also detailed the latest data on the pandemic in Albany County.
McCoy confirmed five previously unreported coronavirus-related deaths identified in Albany County at a single congregate setting. They include one woman in her 50s, one woman and two men in their 80s, and one man in his 90s. The Albany County confirmed death toll stands at 358 since pandemic tracking started in March 2020.
McCoy also announced 19 new positive cases. Encompassed within the new cases were 39 who did not presently have a clear source of infection, one out of state traveler, and four who are healthcare workers or residents of congregate settings. There are 561 active cases in Albany County and 1,478 residents under mandatory quarantine. Conversely, 81 cases were cleared for recovery and release.
Additionally, McCoy confirmed four new hospitalizations overnight, 41 county residents currently hospitalized from the virus. Plus, presently there are five patients in the ICU.