BUFFALO, N.Y. — 2 On Your Side continues to track the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine and reported distribution issues here at Western New York hospitals, all while plans come together to distribute Moderna’s Covid vaccine, if it’s approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The Pfizer vaccine continues to be distributed across the state to hospitals and within days to nursing homes. Western New York will get 14,500 Pfizer doses.
And now the state is eyeing rollout of Moderna's vaccine. Pending FDA approval, the state expects to get 346,000 doses from Moderna.
"They're allocated regionally, the vaccines are going to be distributed medically not politically," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
We now know Western New York can expect to receive 22,300 Moderna vaccines for frontline workers.
"We're still on Phase 1, which are health care workers, nursing home congregate. Late January, we go to Phase 2 essential workers, priority, general [public]," Cuomo said.
All this as there are reported distribution issues this week of the Pfizer vaccine to some local hospitals.
First Niagara Falls Memorial: instead of a portion of the hospital's doses going here, they were sent to Mount Saint Mary's in Lewiston and Mercy Hospital in South Buffalo, two Catholic Health hospitals.
"It was very disheartening when we initially found out that there was no shipment coming our way," said Joseph Ruffolo, president and CEO of Niagara Falls Memorial.
The state health department says Memorial didn't have the proper freezer it needed for storage and now that it has the proper equipment, the hospital says it was able to obtain a portion of its supply from Catholic Health. Vaccinations at Memorial began on Friday.
Then over at Erie County Medical Center, doses of the vaccine ended up going to Millard Fillmore Suburban and Olean General, two Kaleida Hospitals.
According to a spokesperson for the state health department, doses of the Pfizer vaccine arrived to the region on time this week, and that any issue at ECMC we would have to take it up with the hospital itself.
The statement reads: "The Department of Health followed federal guidelines for the shipping and distribution of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine was delivered safely to Western New York in accordance with that plan. Subsequently, ECMC requested approval for vaccine transport to their facility. It was granted."
ECMC issued a statement Friday saying: "Erie County Medical Center Corporation today provided COVID-19 vaccine to frontline caregivers, following NYSDOH and CDC guidelines. ECMC has worked cooperatively with the NYS Department of Health throughout the vaccination process and has started today vaccinating frontline caregivers at ECMC, on schedule. We thank the Department of Health for all of their efforts to ensure all vaccines were delivered quickly and safely once our facility was ready to receive them."
A spokesperson for Catholic Health which is now the lead on vaccination planning in WNY said in an email: "We are not going to comment on the distribution diversions, this is an issue for the state. Local providers are working together to reallocate the vaccine following guidance from the state."
