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Local officials still lack enough vaccine

Jan 21, 2021 6:33 am
Sarah Trafton and Natasha Vaughn report for Columbia-Greene Media that Greene County officials, like those from other local counties, say they would be vaccinating more people of they just had more doses. On Jan. 19, Greene County received 400 Moderna vaccines, though they asked for 1,000. “If there’s more coming, I have no idea,” Legislature Chair Patrick Linger, a Republican from New Baltimore, said. “I don’t think there’s more coming this week. Generally, they allot them and we get them on a Tuesday.” The day before state officials said they only got 250,000 vaccines this week, instead of 300,000 they received the week before. Ulster County only got 1,000 vaccines this week, instead of 1,200. Assistant Deputy Ulster County Executive Daniel Torres said the new doses arrived Jan. 20, but that, "the appointments for this week are already claimed to accommodate those who had their appointments canceled last week.” Columbia County received 500 doses of vaccine this week, but they have no available vaccine appointments because of the low supply from the federal government. Now, officials are starting to do the math about how long it will take to vaccinate everyone at this slow pace. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Jan. 20 that at current vaccine supply rates it will take the state eight months to get through just the hospital and healthcare workers, first responders, and those over 65. That means we are all staying in our houses into 2022. Meanwhile Columbia County reports 265 new COVID-19 cases in the past five days, including 65 on Jan. 20, the fourth-highest single-day total of the pandemic in Columbia County. There were also 21 new cases in Greene County and one more death, Jan. 20. Ulster County reported 114 new cases, and four more deaths. Dutchess County announced 216 new coronavirus positive tests, and eight more deaths. In Rensselaer County there were 79 new positive tests, and three more deaths. Albany County had 173 new COVID-19 cases, and four more deaths. The Albany County jail is now on lockdown for the next 29 days because 270 of the 330 people incarcerated there are in quarantine.