Natasha Vaughn reports for Columbia-Greene Media that 16- and 17-year-olds in Columbia County will begin receiving Pfizer vaccines for COVID-19 beginning this week. Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb said April 22, “I got the word last evening that we’re going to be getting it this coming week." Greene and Warren counties are sharing a tray of the Pfizer vaccine with 1,170 doses with Columbia County. “We were told all of the Pfizer was being diverted to the FEMA sites,” said Mabb. “Which doesn’t set well with most of us because all of the FEMA sites are set up in large metropolitan areas — and what about us? It was a little upsetting for me, too, that Albany County got 3,500 doses of it last week and another 3,500 doses this week.” But this week, Columbia and Greene counties are getting the Pfizer doses, the only vaccine so far approved for 16- and 17-year-olds. Mabb said schools have been sending home permission slips to the almost 1,000 county students who are old enough to receive the vaccine. “So far among the six school districts only about 150 students have expressed an interest,” Mabb said. “That’s disappointing but I think once we say we’ve got it and we’re going to be showing up on this date at this time I think that number will go up.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.