CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

Modeling good public health in Niagara

Niagara Gazette - 2/10/2021

Feb. 10—LOCKPORT — On Tuesday, close to 850 second doses of the COVID-19 Moderna vaccine were administered at the Niagara County health department's vaccine Point of Dispensing (POD) at Kenan Center Arena. Public Health director Dan Stapleton credited the partnerships his agency has been able to forge, as well as heavy planning and preparation by the agency before the virus had even hit U.S. shores a year ago.

Following up on the state's recent announcement that non-senior New Yorkers with certain health conditions will on Sunday become eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccination, Stapleton said qualified Niagara County residents will be able to schedule an appointment at a county-run clinic. Scheduling is through the county website or the 211 phone service.

Unfortunately, he said, local distribution of the vaccine will depend on the county's allotment from the state, which can't be predicted.

Four hundred first-dose appointment slots were created for this week and they were all claimed within 15 minutes, Stapleton said.

"We're happy that vaccine is getting into people's arms, we're really pleased about that. We want to do more," he said.

"We know there are many more people who are eligible and want it than we have actual doses available for," Elise Pignatora, director of Public Health Planning & Emergency Preparedness, said.

While pre-registration information is posted on the county website, the registration (appointment setting) link is not updated until the county has vaccine on hand. The number of slots depends on the number of doses.

While Stapleton said he's disappointed by the rate at which vaccine is coming in, he's proud of the work his agency, the sheriff's office, emergency services and other partners in the community have done during the pandemic. The Niagara County operation is a model for other counties, he said.

"Having these partnerships before you need them (is crucial). You can't wait 'til you need them, it's too late by then and then you're catching up," Stapleton said. "There's a reason why Niagara County and our partnership has been looked at as an example for other people. That's no accident. It's because they know that's what we do. ... Our peers are saying, 'Let's go to Niagara County, see how they're doing it.'"

"The partnerships really are amazing," said Jonathan Schultz, director of Niagara County Emergency Services. "This isn't a one-weekend event. All the intricacies of COVID-19 with the socially distancing and the mask wearing, making sure everyone is safe ... It's a stressful environment, but you'd never know that because of how everyone is operating. ... It's resonating and a lot of time we hear it from the public, how they enjoy coming here."

The logistics of mass vaccination were set up by Pignatora. She said the health department train its staff on POD operation annually and had run through scenarios inside Kenan Center Arena even before the pandemic began.

In the case of COVID-19, Pignatora said the department is ready to accommodate any particular threats.

"We are accustomed to having to be flexible and change according to the scenario," she said. "For COVID-19 we add extra elements such as social distancing, precise scheduling for pre-registration. Those are things we feed into it, as well as second dose scheduling, a unique factor that has been added into our point of dispensation actions."

Inside Kenan Arena on Tuesday, 10 lines of socially distant seats were set up and 10 tables were manned by volunteers, health department staff taking information, and registered nurses.

Stapleton said the majority of people who have received the COVID-19 vaccine have not experienced any side effects, including him. It is believed the vaccine takes effect two weeks after receipt of the second dose.

"In two weeks they'll have the full immunity from the Covid vaccine which can be up to 95%," he said.

To learn more about registering for vaccination through the county, go to: https://www.niagaracounty.com/health/Services/Public-Health-Preparedness/2019-Novel-Coronavirus-COVID-19-Vaccination.

Niagara by the numbers

The Niagara County health department's Tuesday COVID-19 update indicated:

— 8 deaths since Monday;

— 77 new cases diagnosed;

— 899 active cases of the disease in the county.

Virus-related numbers to date include: 13,007 residents recovered from the disease; 256 residents have died from it; and 300,002 COVID-19 tests have been given to county residents.

___

(c)2021 the Niagara Gazette (Niagara Falls, N.Y.)

Visit the Niagara Gazette (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) at www.niagara-gazette.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.