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More community-based pop-up vaccination sites coming online

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Thu, Mar 18th 2021 10:30 pm

Community-based pop-up vaccination sites have enabled more than 55,000 New Yorkers to receive first dosage of vaccine

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced 16 community-based pop-up vaccination sites are coming online over the next week at churches, public housing developments and community centers. These sites are expected to vaccinate more than 4,500 people throughout the week.

Since Jan. 15, more than 145 community-based pop-up sites administered more than 55,000 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

As has been the case with previous pop-up sites, these sites will be reestablished in three weeks to administer second doses.

Moving forward as the federal vaccine supply increases, New York will continue to establish these sites at all 33 NYCHA Senior Housing Developments, which house more than 7,600 seniors. Pop-up locations will also continue to be established at other public housing complexes statewide, as well as at more than 300 churches and community centers which have volunteered to house these sites through Cuomo's Vaccine Equity Task Force.

"No state is doing a better job at safe, effective, equitable vaccine distribution than New York, and we are working tirelessly every single day to get shots into arms quickly and become the first COVID-free state in the country," Cuomo said. "We are ramping up our vaccine distribution system to match increases in supply, but a distribution system can't just grow – it has to grow equitably. That's why from the outset we've prioritized the fair and equitable distribution of the vaccine through special efforts like pop-up sites that are being established in the communities that were hit hardest by COVID to help ensure underserved New Yorkers are not left behind in the distribution process."

This continued development of community-based pop up vaccination sites furthers Cuomo's mandate of ensuring the fair and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The establishment of many of these vaccination sites was made possible through partnerships with multiple public and private health care providers. Host sites and partner providers conduct outreach within their communities and work with community leaders and organizations to identify eligible New Yorkers and schedule vaccination appointments. The local site is

•Northwest Buffalo Community Center, 155 Lawn Ave., Buffalo

Open: Friday, March 19, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The one-day clinic is open exclusively to residents of Buffalo's 14207 ZIP code.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said, "At the request of North District Common Council Member Joseph Golombek, and members of the community, I was able to work with Gov. Cuomo's staff and Rev. Mark Blue to bring a pop-up vaccination site to the 14207 ZIP code.”

Golombek said, "I want to thank Mayor Brown, Assemblyman William Conrad and Erie County Legislator Lisa Chimera for going to bat for the people in my district to get this clinic.”

The Rev. Mark Blue, president of the Buffalo Chapter of the NAACP, said, "Thank you, Mayor Brown, for inviting the NAACP to work with you and your administration with state officials to ensure that members of our minority, elderly and immigrant communities within the City of Buffalo have equal access to this vaccine with the ability to create a healthier community. Not only am I on the governor's Taskforce for Vaccine Health Equity, I also serve as chair of the Health Equity Taskforce for the WNY Region."

Dr. Raul Vasquez, who has overseen three vaccination sites in Buffalo's vulnerable neighborhoods, will manage the pop-up clinic, which will administer 500 doses of state-supplied vaccine.

Appointments for the Northwest Community Center one-day clinic can be made by calling 716-876-8108, ext. 10. The Community Center is located just off Military Avenue.

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