BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo got some big news Wednesday as the state tries to get more people vaccinated and people deal with the frustrations of trying to do that.
We heard from Erie County's executive Tuesday that there was talk of a mass vaccination site at the Buffalo Convention Center.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo had an announcement Wednesday about a different site opening next month. The announcement from the Governor means eventually it will be easier to get an appointment. The supply will increase and thousands will be able to get vaccinated.
Here's what we know so far. This is one of several joint New York State-FEMA sites opening up across the state in what the Governor says are socially vulnerable communities. Buffalo's will be at the Delavan Grider Community Center at 877 East Delavan Avenue.
Governor Cuomo says each of these sites will have 1,000 vaccine appointments available a day, for 7,000 a week, starting March 3.
"Each site will do a thousand per day. That's very large. That's 7,000 a week. They start on March 3. They get an allocation from the federal government. They're jointly run between the state and the federal government. We're going to use National Guard personnel to help us do that," Gov. Cuomo said.
We are also busy answering your questions about the vaccine roll-out.
One viewer asked, "Being in the 65-plus category, I have been trying for over two weeks to get an appointment for me and my husband with memory issues with still no luck. My question is, when and if I am lucky enough to get one ... am I also able to include my husband in that appointment?"
The quick answer is no, your appointment is just for you. And each dose at each clinic is for someone who has an appointment. No walk-ins are allowed.
In fact, in bold letters at the top of the state's vaccine website it says, "IF YOU VISIT A LOCATION WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A VACCINE."
But you can make an appointment for your partner, and you can try to make it for the same location and same time as your own.
Several viewers also want to know how people who are homebound will be able to get vaccinated.
A viewer asked, "Have any arrangements been made to vaccinate senior citizens who are homebound and unable to get to any of the sites without considerable difficulty? The person I am concerned about is 78 years old and has COPD as well as several other health problems. He uses a wheelchair with help and is blind."
Here's what we were able to find out by our deadline. In Erie County, a spokesperson for the Department of Health told us that people who are homebound should contact their physician to see about accessing the COVID-19 vaccine. Erie County also has an update on its new mobile RV unit saying it is set up to go throughout the county for popup clinics and to reach people who are homebound once the vaccine supply expands.
The County Executive was asked about in-home vaccinations at his weekly press conference.
"We have had conversations with some of the health care providers about that. I think they are certainly looking forward to doing at home vaccinations, but first, they need to get the vaccines. So we have had conversations about it, but we're not doing it right now just because we don't have the vaccine supply," Mark Poloncarz said.
An Orleans County public health educator told 2 On Your Side that for Orleans and Genesee counties, people who are homebound are to work with their primary care provider or their nursing service. She also says it may be a while before they will have vaccine available because of the limited supplies.
The New York State Department of Health did not get back to us before our deadline.