BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – Erie County has cancelled 4,315 first-dose vaccine appointments at the county-run vaccination sites from Saturday through next Wednesday, according to the health department.
Appointments scheduled for this Thursday and Friday are still on as scheduled. The announcement does not affect scheduled appointments at places like pharmacies, health care centers, hospitals, and state-run sites.
It also does not affect those who are scheduled to receive their second-dose appointments.
"These cancellations are based on lack of vaccine supply and NYSDOH instruction about vaccine availability," the health department said. "ECDOH has had its vaccine allocation dramatically reduced from the amount it requested. ECDOH is dependent on New York State for its vaccine supply, and is not able to order COVID vaccine directly from vaccine manufacturers or the federal government."
Erie County received 1,700 doses of the vaccine from the state this week and had 540 doses remaining in their supply. Since opening their first vaccination site on January 4, the county distributed 14,176 first-doses of the Moderna vaccine.
"ECDOH is currently capable of distributing more than 2,000 doses daily at community PODs, with delivery being solely dependent on receiving sufficient vaccine doses to meet its capability." the health department said.
The county said future appointments at county sites should be considered "tentative, and are subject to vaccine availability."
