New York, Southern Tier COVID Vaccination Rates Improve
The latest federal figures show nearly two-thirds of New York residents are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
About 12.7 million of New York’s 20 million residents are fully vaccinated, according to data released Saturday, October 16 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Vaccination rates are highest in the southern and eastern part of New York State.
Broome County Executive Jason Garnar announced Friday, October 15 that 63% of all County residents have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine while 59% are fully vaccinated.
Associated press reports more than three-quarters of residents in Hamilton County in the Adirondacks are fully vaccinated. But vaccination rates are lowest in western and central counties: just 38% are fully vaccinated in Allegany County.
Garnar says he still is concerned about the number of Broome residents who are eligible but have not been vaccinated.
While the largest number of new cases of COVID-19 in the county are appearing in children up to the age of 17, who are not yet eligible to get a vaccine, about 20% of new COVID case are reported in people under the age of 40. Most of the local hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are reportedly unvaccinated individuals.
Broome County officials say they are doing everything they can to get even more people inoculated.
In the next few days special vaccination clinics are scheduled just for employees of some local companies as well as #Vaxtoschool clinics for students in Binghamton and Johnson City.
The Broome County Health Department had scheduled clinics for October 18 at their offices on Front Street in Binghamton for both the booster shot for residents 65 and older or those with high-risk jobs or certain medical conditions and the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. The booster shot clinics for the 18 and 19 were quickly filled.
The Dicks Sporting Goods distribution center is holding a vaccination clinic for its staff only on the 20th while a clinic exclusively for BOCES staff is being held on the 22nd and for employees of BAE Systems on the 26th. Groups of more than ten people wanting a vaccine can sign up for Broome County’s Vaccines on Demand at www.gobroomecounty.com.
Shots will be given to eligible students at the Binghamton East and Binghamton West Middle schools on October 29 and Johnson City High School on November 12.
*An open J&J vaccine clinic will be held at the Broome County Social Services offices on main Street Binghamton on November 1.
Information on clinics can be found at gobroomecounty.com but also check with local pharmacies and doctor offices.