As two more cases of the more transmissable variant of COVID-19 were found in Saratoga, New York State expands its vaccination program. Currently, the state is on the pace to vaccinate all New Yorkers in years, not months, but is expanding from just 1a vaccination eligibility to 1b on Jan. 11. Trouble is there’s still no detailed Department of Health guidance for providers on vaccine prioritization/eligibility posted on the state website. The current 1a guidance that is on the website runs through Jan. 10. The expanded eligibility should include more essential workers, first responders, and anyone over the age of 75. Locally, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple Tweeted Jan. 10 that, "we pushed through 223 vaccinations in 2.5 hours in our drive through vaccination pod." And Dutchess County is opening COVID-19 vaccination sites this week in Poughkeepsie and Dover Plains. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases continues to grow locally. There were 56 new COVID-19 cases announced Jan. 10 in Columbia County, and 47 more the day before. The state COVID-19 tracker web page lists 45 new cases on Jan. 9 for Greene County, and 22 more on Jan. 10. The Rensselaer County Health Department confirmed 239 new positive tests on Jan. 10, and the 99th death there. Eight of the new cases over the weekend came from Nassau, where young people including a 17-year-old male, a 21-year-old female, and a 26-year-old female there. Three more Albany County residents died of coronavirus, it was announced Jan. 9, with 266 new cases there. Ulster County had 158 new cases Jan. 9, and Dutchess County had 259 more positive tests.