Residents of Tioga County who are eligible to receive vaccinations at this time are being notified and directed on how to be vaccinated. At this time, Tioga County does not have a confirmed date to receive vaccine; however, this could change based on directives from Gov. Andrw Cuomo. In Phase 1A, the only administering entities are hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and in some counties, Point of Dispensing sites run by the Local Health Department. Please note that this decision was made by the Governor’s Office.
Distribution is subject to a variety of factors, with the main factor being the availability of the vaccine, which is limited. Availability is expected to become less of an issue over the next few months, as New York State is now administering both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine.
Katie Wait, Tioga County Public Health’s Vaccine Initiative Coordinator, asks, “Please be patient with us as we work through this process. We understand that you have questions that are unanswered, and we understand that is frustrating however, we will update you with any new information we receive as soon as it becomes available.”
Our team here at Public Health is experiencing a higher than normal call volume with questions regarding when a particular population will be receiving their vaccine. As our phone lines are very busy, we would appreciate limiting your calls on this until we receive more information. We will continue to put out updates as they come down from New York State, so please continue to follow our Facebook Page and Website for future updates.
Currently, the COVID-19 vaccination process is taking place at a regional level with the Governor making the determination when the vaccine can be given to the next population on the prioritization list. New York State is in Phase 1A of Distribution, which covers the following priority groups:
- Healthcare personnel (i.e., paid and unpaid personnel working in a healthcare setting)
- First responders in medical roles, such as emergency medical services providers
- Medical examiners and coroners, funeral workers
- Ambulatory care providers
- Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) staff and residents, including congregate settings overseen by Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), Office of Mental Health (OMH), and Office of Addiction Service and Support (OASAS)
New York State will likely be in Phase 1A for the next several weeks. Tioga County Public Health, along with our planning partners from Tioga County Office of Emergency Services, Local School Superintendents, Department of Social Services, Waverly Police Department, and The Tioga County Legislature, are focusing planning efforts on when the vaccine becomes widely available at the community level. Again, we kindly ask that you remain patient with us, and we will publish any new information as it is released.
