COVID19 2021-02-24 Vaccine Update: 900 Doses Allocated Week of February 22

Tompkins County received a total of 1,000 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine for the week of February 22. Of the 1,000 doses, 300 doses are designated for people aged 65 years and older with underlying medical conditions (comorbidities) and are being offered to residents of senior living facilities across the County. The remaining doses will be offered to grocery and P-12 school workers eligible in phase 1b and healthcare workers in phase 1a.

On February 24, the Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) invited individuals who are currently eligible for the vaccine to fill out the COVID-19 Vaccine Registry form. TCHD will use the registry to communicate directly with those who are eligible when doses become available.

For this week, due to the limited supply of doses allocated for individuals with comorbidities, the Health Department will work directly with local facilities that serve older adults with limited income. The Health Department will work with the leadership at these organizations to register their residents who are age 65 and older with comorbidities.  

The Health Department will send the registration links for vaccination appointments to grocery workers and P-12 school workers through employers or association networks, as well as to those on the recently created COVID-19 Vaccine Registry. Each of these groups will have a pre-determined amount of time to register for appointments before the next group is provided the link. The online registration link will not be public and individuals in these groups should not forward the link to others who are not in these eligible groups. TCHD partners with Cayuga Health System to administer the doses it receives from the State.

As of February 24, New York State has instructed local health departments to continue administering allocated COVID-19 vaccine doses to essential workers and expand vaccination to individuals with comorbidities. New York State has directed local pharmacies to prioritize vaccinating those age 65 and older (with or without comorbidities), and for hospitals to continue vaccinating healthcare workers in phase 1a.

“This week, we are continuing to locally prioritize grocery workers, P-12 school workers, and adults who are age 65 and older with underlying medical conditions, all of whom are eligible. We continue to communicate directly with the eligible populations and will be using the newly created Vaccine Registry as a part of this process. The allotment we are given from the State is still limited and we continue to use the Cayuga Health site at the mall, prioritizing our essential workers and those who are at the highest risk of severe complications from COVID-19,” stated Tompkins County Public Health Director Frank Kruppa.

If you are age 65 years and older, TCHD is encouraging you to check with local pharmacies and the State-run vaccination sites. You can find more information about the State vaccination sites, and links to the pharmacy websites, on the TCHD website.

A comprehensive list of eligible priority populations can be found on the TCHD website.

Cayuga Health System has been allocated 200 doses for phase 1a populations and is communicating directly with healthcare workers.

211 has partnered with TCHD to respond to public inquiries about the COVID-19 vaccine (dial 2-1-1 or 1-877-211-8667 from any phone). This includes general information and current eligibility requirements. Due to the current high demand for vaccine, 211 staff are unable to assist with appointment registration. 211 staff also do not have access to information on future clinics or have a waitlist.

The public is encouraged to sign up for:

• Tompkins County COVID-19 Vaccine Registry (for eligible individuals only)
  • Use the link above or call 2-1-1
• Email alerts
• Swift 911
• Some pharmacies have alerts (for 65 and older): Click here

Prioritized eligible populations include:

• Escuelas P-12
  • P-12 school (public or non-public) or school district faculty or staff (includes all teachers, substitute teachers, student teachers, school administrators, paraprofessional staff, and support staff including bus drivers)
  • Contractors working in a P-12 school (public or non-public) or school district (including contracted bus drivers)
• Grocery Stores
  • Public Facing Grocery Store Workers, including convenience stores and bodegas
• Adults age 65 and older with comorbidities
  • A list of eligible comorbidities and underlying conditions can be found on the Health Department website.

For local updates and information, check the TCHD website.