BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) "On a daily basis, the number one question I get, is, when are you getting the vaccine, and can I get on a wait list?" Don Arthur, owner of Brighton Eggert Pharmacy in Tonawanda, which is operating one of the largest Covid testing sites in WNY.
On Tuesday alone, over 1200 tests were conducted at the site, and over 150 positive results for a positivity rate of 13.5%. Arthur thinks the numbers are higher than the county's numbers due to access. "For people who are sick, they want an
immediate result," he said.
On the slow vaccine rollout nationwide, Arthur thinks it has a lot to do with the fact that the first vaccine, from Pfizer, has been very limited due to storage requirements. "Now we have the Moderna shot and the Johnson &Johnson shot is going to be in front of the FDA in less than 3 weeks. I'm optimistic that by the middle of Feb, we're going to have 3 or 4 options. And you're going to see community pharmacies play a much larger role in immunizations."
Arthur says what we're seeing now is not an issue with supply, but the ability for facilities, like hospitals and the county, to staff up and create a system to
get shots out to the community as quickly as possible.
Will everyone have to get vaccinated in their home county? Or can someone go out of state for the vaccine? "The initial rollout is very controlled right now," said Arthur. "It's available for health care workers and nursing home residents and staff. which is absolutely appropriate. In the not too distant future, we'll have several options at once. We're going to have access to Moderna, Johnson and Johnson and even Astra Zeneca vaccines in a very short period of time. It's going to be incumbent on the system to allow as many of those authorized to do immunizations.
Brighton Eggert started Covid testing six weeks ago. They started a drive thru in their plaza. They quickly outgrew that space. Tonawanda Supervisor Joe Emminger suggested they move to 1200 Parker Blvd near the Lincoln Pool. They were able to ramp up to 1500 tests a day, but traffic became difficult in the residential area.
This week, Brighton Eggert moved to a new testing site, Sheridan Park Golf Course on Center Park Drive in Tonawanda for the next few months.
"We found a larger facility and increased our staff so we can continue to offer same day drive up. Even in the most challenging times, we seem to be
able to get people thru the process in less than 45 minutes, without an appointment or a prescription," said Arthur.
The pharmacy offers rapid antigen testing and is now offering PCR testing.
