Press Release
Letter expresses concerns about lack of access to vaccination sites and vaccine supply in rural communities
BATAVIA, NY – The legislative leaders and public health directors of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties sent a letter to New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo urgently requesting the designation of a regional mass vaccination clinic at the Genesee Community College (GCC) campus to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to the rural counties.
The letter was signed by Rochelle Stein, Genesee County Legislative Chairwoman; Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislative Chairwoman; Rebecca Ryan, Wyoming County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman; Paul Pettit, Genesee Orleans County Health Departments Director; and, Dr. Gregory Collins, Wyoming County Health Department Medical Director.
The letter reads that “Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties have consistently been left out of the COVID-19 response with delays in testing supplies and now with very limited vaccine allocations. All three counties are medically underserved and having a regional clinic with less than a half hour commute would benefit these communities”.
The letter went on to state that residents have limited transportation access to Buffalo and Rochester and that a vaccination clinic at GCC would draw the eastern and western portions of other contiguous counties and that it is easily accessible from the Thruway. If properly staffed through assistance by the National Guard the officials said that the GCC clinic would have the capacity of vaccinating in excess of 2,000 individuals per day.
The letter concludes that “our three counties look forward to working with your office to provide this much needed and more equitable solution to meet the needs of the more rural communities”.
Copies of the letter, which is attached, were also sent Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties state representatives, Assemblyman David DiPietro, Senator Patrick Gallivan, Assemblyman Stephen Hawley, Assemblyman Michael Norris, Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt, and Senator Edward Rath, III
______________________________________________________________________________
The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo Governor of New York State NYS State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224
February 18, 2021
Dear Governor Cuomo,
The Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming County Health Departments respectfully request a regional mass vaccination clinic at the Genesee Community College (GCC) campus to provide COVID-19 vaccine to the rural counties. These counties have consistently been left out of the COVID-19 response with delays in testing supplies and now with very limited vaccine allocations. All three counties are medically underserved and having a regional clinic with less than a half hour commute would benefit these communities.
The residents of these counties are strategically located between Buffalo and Rochester and many residents have limited access to transportation to travel 45-60 minute commute twice to safely get the COVID-19 vaccine. This would also draw the eastern and western portions of other contiguous counties. The college campus is easily accessible from the Thruway. The GCC campus facility, if properly staffed, through assistance by the National Guard has the capacity of vaccinating in excess of 2,000 individuals per day.
With the three counties vulnerable and underserved populations, the county Local Health Departments also request to continue receiving allocations for their vulnerable populations locally to meet the needs of those with transportation/access issues while also supporting a larger regional clinic at GCC.
Our three counties look forward to working with your office to provide this much needed and more equitable solution to meet the needs of the more rural communities.
For further conversation around establishing this clinic, please contact Paul Pettit at Paul.Pettit@orleanscountyny.gov or 585-589-3250.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Rochelle Stein, Genesee County Legislative Chairwoman
Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislative Chairwoman
Rebecca Ryan, Wyoming County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman
Paul Pettit, Genesee Orleans County Health Departments Director
Dr. Gregory Collins, Wyoming County Health Department Medical Director
Cc: David DiPietro, Patrick Gallivan, Stephen Hawley, Michael Norris, Robert Ortt, and, Edward Rath,III
They would never need the National Guard and other resources to vaccinate 2000 people per day because they will never see that many doses at any given time. Every day until every person who wants the vaccine gets it. You can take that to the bank.