ERIE COUNTY, N.Y. — During a press briefing Monday afternoon, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein provided some information about the COVID-19 vaccines.
As of Monday, Burstein says the initial doses of the vaccine have gone out to the hospitals and nursing homes - not the county health department.
Burstein says the county is actively planning for the COVID-19 vaccine distribution; however, she notes that it will be several months until the general public gets vaccinated due to a supply chain issue.
"It's going to be a few months," Burstein said. "It definitely will not be until next year and probably sometime in the spring, and maybe later on in the summer."
Burstein says this all depends on the supply chain, saying there is a small supply and large demand.
"We will get to everybody," she said. "We really want to make sure that everybody feels comfortable, that you will get your immunization. And we're working hard to make that happen."
In the meantime, Burstein is reminding Erie County residents that many are vulnerable to catching COVID-19, adding that everyone should continue to follow protective behaviors. This includes wearing masks, staying home, not participating in large gatherings, washing your hands often and social distancing.
The county is also looking for people who are interested in working with the county health department and becoming vaccinators. Those who are allowed to immunize the COVID-19 vaccine in New York State includes physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, pharmacists, paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and dentists.
Those interested in becoming vaccinators can fill out a form online.
Erie County currently has a summary of its vaccination response plan on its website, which you can view by clicking here.
You can watch the full press conference from Erie County below:
