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People Frustrated,

But Vaccine Coming,

Oneonta Mayor Says

Kinney Drugs First With Shots

By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

ONEONTA – There’s “a lot of frustration and confusion” about availability of the COVID-19 vaccinations, Mayor Gary Herzig said this morning, but “I’m told that will improve soon:  The vaccine will be coming.”

Meanwhile, he said, be sure to register through the state’s “Am I Eligible” app.

Also today, vaccinations are being administered at Richfield Springs’ Kinney Drug store, apparently the first private pharmacy in the county that’s rolling out the vaccine.  One person who received a vaccination said business was “steady” at 10 West Main St.

However, the Gouverneur-based drug-store chain is not accepting any more registrations at the time, pending word of further supplies.

Herzig has been participating in the daily Mohawk Valley Region updates, and the periodic Oneonta “control room” online sessions, so it up to date.

“The reality is, right now, with the pool expanding to those 65 and older, we just do not have the vaccine available across the state,” he said.

Meanwhile, in his briefing this morning, Governor Cuomo said the Trump Administration’s Operation Warp Speed, which had been parceling the vaccine to the state’s week to week — 300,000 for the whole of New York State — has agreed to release all the vaccines it has to the states.

“The federal government determines how much vaccine New York State receives,” said the governor.  “The federal government has only given New York approximately 300,000 vaccines/week for over 7 million people who are eligible – as a result supply is very limited”

“Indications are that things will open up soon,” said Herzig.

However, he said he’s being told it will take 14 weeks to inoculate all the people who are eligible now, 1A being essential healthcare and law-enforcement personnel, and teachers, and 1B being the general population 65 and older.

“Nobody can say what day it will become available,” said the mayor.  “It should be sooner rather than later.  Everybody has to realize all of us who are now eligible are not going to be able to get the vaccine immediately,”