BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – Coronavirus vaccines are arriving in Western New York this week, but exactly how many doses are being delivered to various locations is largely being guarded.
Western New York is expected to receive 14,500 of the 170,000 Pfizer vaccines sent to the state by the federal government. Hospitals and nursing homes in the region are due to receive the first batch of the vaccine.
ECMC released a statement on Monday afternoon that said the vaccines will be available for caregivers in the coming weeks.
“We have been working over the past several weeks to prepare for this and we have established a Vaccine Task Force that will oversee and coordinate the process of providing the vaccine to every member of our ECMC Family,” ECMC said in a statement. “The priority of staff will follow very prescriptive guidelines provided by the NYS DOH. Our frontline workers have been there for us and we are thrilled we all can be there for them – providing this vaccine, so they can continue their lifesaving work with added protection.”
Kaleida Health and Catholic Health did not provide a statement at the time this story was written.
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The Buffalo VA Hospital announced Monday they will receive the initial doses of the vaccine thanks to their ability to vaccinate large numbers of people and store the vaccines at extremely cold temperatures. They will prioritize health care personnel and veterans in nursing homes.
The public at large will still have to wait months to receive the vaccine. Erie County leaders worry that revealing the sites where local government will receive the vaccine could result in unwanted visitors.
“I really actually think the state is very fearful of what could be considered almost hijacking of these,” Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said Monday. “If people knew where and when these were received.
Unfortunately, it sounds like there is already a black market out there for vaccines. I think the state is trying to be as quiet as possible on the delivery function and then the locations that would receive them like the hospitals would administer them. I assume, at that point, they will announce they’ve administered it to members of their staff.”
Three sites were identified in Erie County as a place where vaccines will be given, but Poloncarz said they don’t want people showing up trying to get a vaccine that isn’t ready for them. He said there have already been instances of people trying to seek a vaccine that isn’t available.
“Vaccines for the general public won’t be available for months,” Poloncarz said. “At those times, people will start finding out where those locations are, which will be more than Erie County’s. It will probably be doctor’s offices and pharmacies.”
He also said the county won’t unveil their three sites because they want to be 100% sure that they will administer vaccines at those sites.
Poloncarz added that while there may be more vaccine sites, those who administer the vaccine will need to receive a license by the state.