LOCKPORT, N.Y. — More efforts are underway to get those who are homebound vaccinated.
One local health department held a drive-through clinic on Wednesday. Another health department is going door to door to get people vaccinated.
They're using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which can be tough to find.
You can get a drive-through COVID test in a lot of places, and in Niagara County, the health department is making it easier for people who have mobility issues to get vaccinated with a drive-through vaccine clinic outside the Kenan Center Arena in Lockport.
"These are people who if they contract COVID, they're at a higher risk of hospitalizations they're at higher risk of fatalities," said Dan Stapleton, Niagara County's public health director.
Some 300 people went through the clinic, getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is only one dose. That's key, because no one here will have to come back for a second shot. We found some people who were once hesitant about getting vaccinated.
"I've seen people who had taken it, members of my family, and they seem to be fine, so I said, why not?" Geraldine Price of Lockport said.
Added Daniel Covell of Lockport: "I see the doctors and scientists getting it, so I figured, OK, if they're going to get it, I'll give it a try."
Local officials say the J&J vaccine can be tough to get. Although Erie County has received J&J doses to vaccinate those who are homebound, none were received this week.
"Johnson & Johnson is not being distributed here in Erie County, and my discussion with other county executives, very few of them are hearing of Johnson & Johnson being distributed. There seems to be a slow-down in the distribution of that," Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said.
In other communities, health departments have a ground game using the J&J vaccine.
"We received 200 doses this week I have staff that are literally going door-to-door to vaccinate those who can't leave their homes," said Christine Schuyler, the public health director in Chautauqua County.
Local health departments tell us they've been told by the state that the J&J vaccine should primarily be used on those who are homebound, people who are homeless or those who have transportation issues. Gov. Andrew Cuomo received the J&J vaccine to try to make people less hesitant in getting vaccinated.
A spokesperson for New York State Health Department issued this statement on J&J guidance: "All three approved vaccines are equally effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death – and eligible New Yorkers should take whichever vaccine is available to them first. Because the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a one-shot vaccine, it is ideal for vaccinating homebound and other hard to serve populations. We are working with counties to maximize its utilization for these individuals, and as supply from the federal government continues to increase, vaccine allocations will be expanded statewide.”
Added Schuyler: "The J&J vaccine that we received is still specially earmarked so we don’t have any flexibility with opening that up to the general population."