Now that many health care workers have received at least an initial dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has given the green light for all people age 75 and older, as well as teachers, first responders and other public safety/transit workers to get access to the Covid-19 vaccine starting Monday.
But these folks shouldn't expect to roll up their sleeves anytime soon.
This latest vaccine phase, labeled 1B, is much larger than the first group of 1A health care workers. And at the rate New York State is receiving the vaccine, Cuomo said Friday, some people in Phase 1B might be stuck with appointments as late as April to get a shot in the arm.
That is a long time to wait, Cuomo said, especially for those 75 and older, who compose the largest class of eligible 1B vaccine recipients.
"This is the group that is most at risk," he said. "This is the group with the highest death rate."
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To accommodate this larger group, the state is dramatically expanding its vaccine distribution capacity. Pharmacies, doctors offices and other facilities will be authorized to administer the vaccine as part of a much wider network in the state, Cuomo said Friday.
Thousands of new vaccination sites will come online statewide in the next few weeks. That includes hundreds in Western New York that have agreed to administer vaccines to the broader community.
"We put it out to all providers to see if they wanted to be a participant," Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday.
Even though people may be able to make an appointment Monday, the new network of vaccine distributors is still subject to the relatively limited supply of the Covid-19 vaccine coming into New York, the governor said.
"The supply is a major problem," Cuomo said during a briefing in Albany.
Hochul estimated Friday that between 35,000 and 40,000 people have been vaccinated in Western New York so far, though that doesn't include nursing home vaccinations, which are being administered through a federal government program.
The state is in the process of recruiting and organizing thousands of new providers willing to distribute the vaccine, the governor said. The providers include private doctor networks, ambulatory centers, county health departments and federally qualified health care centers.
The total number of deaths for December has now risen to 385, the worst month for county deaths – by far – since the local health crisis began in March.
A new website where people can make appointments to receive the vaccine will go online Monday. About 1,200 pharmacies have committed to participating, and about 500 pharmacies will come online next week, he said.
Some pharmacies will be taking reservations online Monday, with more to follow Wednesday, he said. The web site for the new appointment system has not yet been disclosed.
The facilities that agree to join the expanded network must first vaccinate their own employees, the governor said.
Catholic Health CEO Mark Sullivan said that as of Thursday, 363 local providers across the five-county Western New York region had signed up to be part of the 1B vaccination effort.
Hochul said that figure will grow.
"I guarantee that the number is going to grow much higher than that if the need is there," she said.
Hospitals will continue to be used for vaccine distribution, and they are to continue to vaccinate those who have yet to receive the first dose of the vaccine who are eligible workers under Phase 1A, which covers health care workers. Phase 1B covers non-medical essential workers, including teachers, police, firefighters, public transit workers, public safety workers and those age 75 and older.
Over the last three weeks, hospitals across the state were inoculating staff at a rate of 10,809 people per day. In the last two days, the daily rate has jumped to 31,157, Cuomo said.
Based on the current rate of vaccinations, Cuomo estimated it would take about 14 weeks, or roughly until about mid-April, to complete vaccinations for the 1 million in Phase 1A yet to be vaccinated and the roughly 3.2 million people in Phase 1B.
The state has about 1.4 million people who are 75 and older, according to Cuomo.
The state will treat all groups in Phase 1B "equally and fairly," the governor said.
"This is a crisis. Everyone needs it. We're going to do it fairly," he said.
There are about 206,000 people in Western New York who qualify for the vaccine in Phase 1B, according to state figures.
In Western New York, the number of health care workers, the population eligible under Phase 1A, is about 143,000 people. So far, 23% of those workers have received the first dose of the vaccination and more than 109,000 still haven't received a vaccine dose, according to figures shown during Cuomo's presentation.
The state Department of Health will set up 20 mass distribution sites across New York starting next week, including at the Javits Center in Manhattan. That site will open Wednesday, Cuomo said.
Hochul did not disclose the names of any mass distribution sites in her follow-up media briefing. Executive Mark Poloncarz has stated that the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center is likely to eventually be a mass vaccination site, but has not said when.
Those who register for a vaccination appointment shouldn't be surprised if their appointment comes in three months, Cuomo said, urging New Yorkers to "calibrate our expectations."
"Our distribution network will far outpace our supply," he said.
New York has been receiving about 300,000 doses per week.
Each county health department will be required to set up two vaccine distribution sites, Cuomo said.
Cuomo also said he signed an executive order expanding the types of workers eligible to distribute the vaccine. Those now eligible to administer the vaccine at distribution sites include licensed practical nurses, pharmacists, dentists, podiatrists, midwives, pharmacy technicians, emergency medical technicians and certain dental hygienists.
Each of the nearly 6,800 people attending Saturday's game against the Colts will have to show proof of a negative test to enter the stadium.
In total, about 479,000 people in New York have received the first dose of the vaccine over the last four weeks, including about 79,000 through the federal vaccination program for nursing homes, state officials said.
With regard to the testing of fans planning to attend Saturday's Buffalo Bills playoff game in Orchard Park, the governor said the positivity rate for those tested was 1.9%. He called it "remarkably low" for a random sample.
