Appointments underway for region's first drive-thru vaccination site

PLATTSBURGH | The New York State Department of Health will officially open its first drive-thru vaccination site in the region next week. Clinton County Health Department officials said the new site at 213 Connecticut Road on the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base is now accepting appointments for as soon as next week. Residents can also https://am-i eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/ or call 1- 833-NYS-4VAX (1-833-697-4829) to determine eligibility status and current availability for vaccination. As those options remain inundated with requests from across the region, area residents are asked to be patient and advised that it may take several attempts to get through. Local officials have said that even when the county site is officially opened, residents will still need to access the state website and hotline for appointments and more information. Appointments may take up to 14 weeks. Like similar efforts across the state, the new drive-thru option quickly evolved through local, county and state collaboration to help distribute the COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible. Officials hope to administer at least 1,000 doses at the new site each day with vaccinations done by appointment only. Vaccinations will be available only to those who are currently qualified to receive the vaccine in Phase 1A and 1B. Clinton County Director of Public Health John Kanoza said the NYSDOH has assured local leaders that the site's opening will not affect the allocation of vaccines to other providers in the area, such as Hudson Headwaters, CVPH, Clinton County Health Department and participating pharmacies. Currently, eligibility and distribution of the vaccine is done at the directive of NYSDOH. "For example, pharmacies are only permitted to vaccinate people 65 and older. CCHD had been directed to distribute its allotment of vaccine to specifically designated subgroups within Phases 1A and 1B," Kanoza said recently. "The addition of a NYSDOH site is great news for our residents who have been deemed eligible, but do not fall into one of those subgroups." Earlier this week, the state opened its first vaccination sites in Westchester County, at Jones Beach, SUNY Albany and several other locations with more sites expected to be announced in the coming days. Since federal supplies currently limit vaccine distribution, residents are asked to be patient and not show up at vaccination sites without an appointment. New York is currently receiving roughly 300,000 vaccine doses each week. Final plans for the new Plattsburgh site were announced Jan. 15 as Clinton County recorded 94 new cases of COVID-19 overnight, bringing the area's total active cases to 382.

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Appointments underway for region's first drive-thru vaccination site

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