Department of Health to give 2,920 Vaccinations
16.3% of Rockland Residents have Received First Dose of Vaccine
New City, NY, – County Executive Ed Day announced that a total of 2,920 COVID-19 vaccines were scheduled to arrive at the Rockland County Department of Health as part of Week 12 of the New York State vaccination program. This allocation includes 1,700 Moderna vaccines (700 for Phase 1B Essential Workers, 500 for those with Comorbidities and 500 for those 65+), 500 Johnson and Johnson vaccines (for those 65+) and 720 Pfizer vaccines (for those 65+) and is the largest allocation received to date.
In total, Rockland County providers received 6,920 doses of COVID-19 vaccine during the week of March 1-7, far outpacing prior week’s allocations. The list of locations in Rockland receiving vaccine from New York State is available here: https://rocklandgov.com/departments/health/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine-allocation/
New York State determines how much vaccine is sent to each vaccination site and which populations they are allowed to vaccinate. Westchester Medical Center has launched an interactive map to assist Hudson Valley residents with accessing COVID-19 vaccinations which is available here: https://public.tableau.com/profile/wmchealth#!/vizhome/HudsonValleyCOVID-19VaccineDirectory/DirectoryMap
“We have recently seen a little more flexibility from the State in terms of who we are able to vaccinate and I am pleased that we are once again able to get shots into the arms of seniors at our Health Department clinic,” said County Executive Ed Day. “And now that we are seeing increasing doses of all three FDA approved COVID-19 vaccines allocated to Rockland providers we are starting to make real progress.”
The Rockland County Department of Health is currently able to vaccinate these eligible groups:
- Essential Workers from Phase 1B
- Residents and Staff of congregate settings certified by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)
- Individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions
- Individuals who are 65+
Appointments for the 1,720 total doses allocated for seniors are being set up by the Rockland County Office for the Aging. Seniors who signed up for the COVID-19 Vaccine Waitlist are being called in the order in which they joined the list. The Rockland County Emergency Operations Center was activated to assist in this process with nearly 20 County Departments and volunteers currently participating.
Rockland residents age 65+ can still sign up to the Senior COVID-19 Vaccine Waitlist by calling the Rockland County Office for the Aging at 845-364-2110, Monday through Friday (except holidays), 8:00 am through 5:00 pm. Spanish and Creole speakers are available. In addition, residents can sign up online http://rcklnd.us/c19-waitlist.
Appointments for those certified by the OPWDD are being set up by the Rockland County Department of Health.
Appointments for Essential Workers from Phase 1B and individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions are being made via weekly open public registration.
The Rockland County Department of Health announces each public registration hours ahead of time via press release, social media posts and website updates. This process will continue for the foreseeable future at different dates and times to allow for more access. You can follow or like the Rockland County Department of Health on either Facebook or Twitter and you can check their COVID-19 website for registration updates here: http://rcklnd.us/covid19.
“On a personal note, I was able to register to be vaccinated as a senior individual with a comorbidity during the recent public registration for this group and received my first dose of the Moderna vaccine this afternoon. While I have been eligible for a shot since January, when everyone 65 years of age and up became eligible, I had not sought a vaccine because I recognized that there were those in our community who needed it more than I did. But with vaccine supply now increasing and hearing the feedback I received from many residents along with my friends and family urging me to get the shot, I have done so. I encourage everyone to get the shot when it is their turn as I believe these vaccines are safe and effective and I trust the advice of the public health professionals in the Department of Health. My message to you is this, we will continue to do everything in our power to get shots into the arms of Rockland residents, to share information about where vaccinations are available and raise awareness around the importance of getting vaccinated. For those still searching, please be patient. This process is improving, and we will get you vaccinated,” said County Executive Day.