Amid the rollout of New York’s vaccination program, there’s been no word yet on local COVID-19 vaccines, although Shelter Island officials said Tuesday they have been asking.
The state has administered more than 38,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine since it was first distributed by the federal government last week, the office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said. Another 120,000 doses were to arrive this week. And, the expected 346,200 doses of the Moderna vaccine began arriving in the state on Monday.
Initially, vaccines are to be given to frontline health care workers, and with residents and staff in nursing homes receiving doses over the next two weeks.
“We’re now talking about who’s getting vaccinated, and let me be clear: there is no politics in the vaccination process,” Governor Cuomo said on Monday.
Local COVID-19 vaccines
Apart from frontline health care workers residing on Shelter Island who may be vaccinated at their place of work, there was no plan in place as of Tuesday for Islanders to begin receiving vaccines, local officials said.
Town Supervisor Gerry Siller said at Tuesday’s Town Board work session that he and Deputy Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams, along with Police Chief James J. Read, participate regularly in COVID-19 emergency response meetings with county health officials. While no plan has yet emerged for the distribution of vaccines beyond what’s already been outlined by state officials, he said officials from Towns across Suffolk County are pressing for information.
“We are beginning the discussion on vaccines,” Siller said. “But there’s not a lot to talk about yet.”
Shelter Island Senior Services has had a leading role in distributing vaccines to older Islanders, inoculating more than 300 residents this season against flu in coordination with the Rite Aid pharmacy chain. The drive-thru program also offers shingles, tetanus, and pneumonia vaccines. The library and school also have run successful vaccination programs.
Sara Mundy who manages the senior program said she’s received numerous calls from Islanders asking about COVID-19 vaccines.
“As soon as we know, we will spread the word,” she said Tuesday.
If New York State follows the CDC’s latest prioritization for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, the next group after nursing home residents and staff would likely be seniors ages 75 and over, along with essential workers such as emergency first responders, teachers, and grocery store workers. Governor Cuomo has appointed a Vaccine Equity Task Force to ensure fair distribution, he said.
Meantime, seniors who want to sign up for the next round of non-COVID-19 vaccines, to be distributed on January 27, should contact sara.mundy@shelterislandtown.us. If you’ve already had the first shot of the two-part shingles vaccine, she will be in touch about administering the second one, she said.
