BUFFALO, N.Y. — As of Tuesday, 28 percent of people who live in Erie County have gotten their first dose of the vaccine so far, and 14 percent have gotten their second dose. But Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says we are not out of the woods just yet.
Although progress is being made getting more people vaccinated, the number of positive cases is up week to week in Erie County.
The Erie County Commissioner of Health says contact tracers have found cases spreading at daycare centers with teachers going room to room and businesses where people are not wearing masks in their cubicles. Dr. Gale Burstein also says cases have been traced to restaurants and hair salons where COVID-19 has spread among staff.
The county is also concerned about people not quarantining after coming into close contact with someone who has COVID-19 or not getting tested after coming into contact with them.
"What we're hearing from a few folks is, I don't know how I caught it," Poloncarz said. "Until you do the contact tracing and you find out that they were not exercising the best judgment by going out and hanging out with their friends in the backyard, we've had nice weather, we're starting to see that, and just because you're outside, doesn't mean you can't catch it. There definitely is a laxer attitude with some in the community who are pretty much done with COVID. You may be over COVID, you may be over the pandemic, but the pandemic is not over."
Tuesday, county leaders also talked about why it's important to keep your second appointment. 2 On Your Side has gotten questions from people who get their first shot, but then aren't able to get to their appointment for the second shot.
The county executive says they haven't seen a big drop off with people not showing up for their second appointment. Some people end up rescheduling, or get their second dose somewhere that's more convenient for them and that might not be at a county site.
But the important thing is to remember that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are two doses while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is one dose.
"We are seeing individuals who have had their first dose who are then catching COVID-19," Poloncarz said. "We have seen that, and as a result, they can't get their second dose, their whole regimen is thrown off, just because you got the first dose doesn't mean you can't catch COVID-19 and you won't get sick from it. So, we want people to understand if you get your first dose, if it's Pfizer or Moderna, get the second dose. You will not have full protection without it."
Poloncarz also said the convention center site probably isn't going to happen. The county doesn't have authorization from the state to do it, and the supply isn't here to do 3,000 doses a day, but as the weather gets nicer a drive-up mass clinic could be an option.
At his weekly press briefing, Poloncarz also said he is waiting for New York State to issue guidance on schools after the CDC issued new guidance that allows for three-foot spacing instead of six.
The guidance also address transmission rates, and right now, Erie County has more than 200 cases per 100,000 people in a seven-day period. The new guidance says community transmission is high if it's above 100 cases per 100,000.
"We've had lots of conversations with the school districts," Poloncarz said. "They understand that they have to follow New York State guidelines. They've been receiving advice from their legal counsel that they need to follow New York State guidelines or they're at risk of not having their insurance cover them in case of a major illness or death in school, and I would just note that we've been told, Dr. Burstein's been told, I've been told, that the New York State Department of Health is reviewing this, and we are expecting an answer soon. I thought it might come yesterday [Monday]. It didn't come yesterday."
Monday, the state said that it is continuing to review that CDC guidance.
