BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – Erie County officials are scrambling to correct incorrect information from New York State regarding the vaccine rollout locally.
Among the inconveniences the county faces include the state falsely designating the Erie County Sexual Health Clinic on William Street as a site where people can get a vaccine. However, the location did not have any vaccines. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said there were many people who showed up to that site without an appointment and berated county officials after learning they could not receive a vaccine advertised by the state.
New York State also advised those eligible to call the Erie County Department of Health. However, the health department cannot schedule appointments by phone. There were 18,500 calls on Monday to the health department, which represented 74 times the number of calls they usually get.
"If you talk to our staff, please do not be rude to them," Poloncarz said. "I was told by a couple members of our department of health staff that the individuals who were taking phone calls and even those showing up at the sexually transmitted disease clinic where there was no vaccine were talked to and treated rudely by members of the public. Please don't do that. Everyone wants to deliver the vaccine as quickly as possible."
Erie County is giving the vaccine to eligible groups at sites that they are not disclosing out of concern that unwanted visitors will show up. Even those who have an appointment to get the vaccine may not necessarily receive it due to supply issues.
Poloncarz said the county is trying to do the best they can, though the state is making it difficult for them.
"We were thrown for a loop on Friday when the governor announced that 1B category would be open because we were told it would be some time before that happened and we'd be given ample time to prepare for it," Poloncarz said. "Not just Erie County, all counties. All counties across New York State are dealing with this."
The Erie County Department of Health has administered nearly 7,000 vaccines. Poloncarz said other other sites that are not run by the government have administered more. All told, approximately 30,000 people have been vaccinated in Western New York.
Supply of the vaccine remains one of the biggest challenges for health officials as New York State is only receiving 300,000 doses per week from the federal government. Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday said the new CDC guidelines about vaccination eligibility has also made the rollout more difficult because there are now 7 million people eligible for the vaccine.
New York State has vaccinated 665,172 people as of 3 p.m. Tuesday.
