Southern Tier Health Departments Make Plans for Vaccine Clinics
Counties throughout the Southern Tier say they are being swamped with calls and emails from residents wanting to know when and how they can sign up to get a COVID-19 vaccination now that New York State has said a larger group of people can get shots.
Under the expansion, group 1b will include educators, police and residents age 75 and older not already included in group 1a as residents of long-term care facilities.
Broome County plans to keep residents up to date on when they can schedule an appointment to get the COVID vaccine via social media, the county website (gobroomecounty.com) and in news briefings.
Chenango County says it has not received vaccines for group 1b yet and residents should check the website and facebook for updates. Residents can email Chenango Health officials at COVID19@chenango.ny.us and provide their personal contact information if they are in groups 1a and 1b to be emailed to schedule an appointment when vaccines arrive.
Tioga County advises: "For those eligible for the vaccine in group 1B, such as teachers and education workers, first responders, law enforcement, and people 75 and older, please go to https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov for more information. Future COVID-19 vaccination clinic information and registration will be posted on the Tioga County COVID-19 website (covid19.tiogacountyny.com) and on Facebook @ Tioga County Public Health. We will also share any additional locations where the vaccination can be obtained within Tioga County once that information is released."
Cortland County, which has been working with Guthrie Medical Center and the Family Health Network to administer vaccines in group 1a, says it is now organizing with SUNY Cortland for a large clinic to be set up as early as next week on the university campus.
Statewide vaccination information can be found at https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/
Some residents in the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania have gotten their first and second doses of the vaccine. The Pennsylvania Department of Health reports residents in the first tier approved for the vaccine, including essential health care workers, have started being vaccinated against COVID-19 while the next group that includes those over the age of 75 who are not living in long-term care facilities will begin seeing vaccination clinics soon.
So far, 1,150 people in Bradford County have gotten their first part of the vaccine while 74 have received the full vaccination. Susquehanna County and Wayne Counties have each had 926 residents receive part of the vaccine while 6 in Susquehanna and 21 in Wayne have gotten their full doses.