REGION - The phase out of the COVID-19 vaccination distribution plan from New York State is underway.

Yesterday Riverside Remedies in Callicoon became the first site to administer the vaccine to people 65 years and older.

Pharmacist and owner of Riverside Remedies, Dr. Gene Burns said, “I'm just doing my duty.”

Since opening the registration for an appointment on Monday, Dr. Burns said there have already been 2,000 people who have signed up.

Regarding the safety of the vaccine, Dr. Burns said information from the clinical trials is public, and he read through all of it.

“I have no qualms or issues whatsoever,” he said. “Part of what I do every day is dispensing medications for people, and nothing can make it here without having gone though a very vigorous approval process by the FDA.”

When he announced that Riverside Remedies would have the vaccine, there was an outpouring of gratitude from the community.

Dr. Burns thanks them for their support, and said it wouldn't be possible to provide the vaccine without the community.

“This is a voluntary thing, not every pharmacy or pharmacist has to do it, and I wanted to contribute as best I could and this is a big way to do it,” Dr. Burns said.

To sign up to receive the vaccine from Riverside Remedies and for more information, go to www.riversideremedies.com. They ask people to go there first before calling as they are receiving a lot of calls and cannot answer them all.

Statewide response

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday that five state-run vaccination sites have begun accepting appointments and were scheduled to open this week.

According to a press release from the Governor's office, more than 1,200 pharmacies have already committed to participating in this network, with nearly 400 scheduled to come on-line this week.

Pharmacies will be provided vaccines for New Yorkers aged 65 and older, while hospitals will continue vaccinating 1A healthcare workers, and local health departments and union-organized efforts will serve essential workers in 1B.

“Sullivan County Public Health Services is very excited by the Governor's announcement regarding the vaccination of Priority Group 1A and now, Priority Group 1B,” stated Public Health Director Nancy McGraw.

Public Health will begin vaccinating eligible community members through public health clinics once they receive vaccine from New York State and appointments become available.

They have scheduled weekly vaccination clinics starting January 20, and then twice weekly beginning mid-February by registration/appointment-only for the first group needing their second shot.

“We have been partnering with Garnet Health and coordinating planning efforts countywide, providing staffing and logistical support for the ongoing vaccination efforts,” McGraw explained. “At the same time, our Epidemiology staff remain extremely busy, conducting COVID-19 case investigations and contact-tracing efforts.”

The county announced on Wednesday that it would begin mass vaccinations at the SUNY Sullivan campus beginning the week of January 25.

McGraw said they plan to order 1,000 doses of vaccine and other locations would be added as vaccine becomes more available.

CEO of Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills, Jonathan Schiller, said they are collaborating with Sun River Healthcare, Sullivan County Public Health and the Office of Emergency Management to ensure they have a process to administer the vaccine in the county. So far they have administered 1,599 doses of vaccine.

“It's going very well, the issue that we're running into is we don't have enough,” Schiller said.

He said they have regular phone calls with the New York State Department of Health and all healthcare providers are encountering the same problem.

The state gets an allocation from the federal government, and it just isn't enough.

According to the Governor's office, New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals far exceed the vaccine supply coming from the federal government, which is arriving at a rate of approximately 300,000 doses per week.

People are encouraged to remain patient and to sign up at https://am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov.

“Our staff who every day care for patients who are ill with COVID really feel like this is what it's going to take to help turn the tide,” Schiller said. “I'm hopeful that our community will accept the vaccine.”

Sidebar:

Who is eligible to receive a vaccine?

The New York State Department of Health has developed a strategy for phased distribution of the vaccines, as follows:

Phase 1: Healthcare workers, long-term care facility workers, and most at-risk long-term care patients.

Phase 2: First responders, teachers, public health workers, essential frontline workers that regularly interact with the public, and other lower-risk long-term care patients.

Phase 3: Individuals over 65 and individuals under 65 with high-risk comorbidities and health conditions.

Phase 4: All other essential workers.

Phase 5: Healthy adults and children.