BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Niagara Convention Center could become a future mass COVID-19 vaccination site.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said Tuesday this would happen with help from the state and the National Guard.
The site would be open 24 hours, seven days a week.
Poloncarz believes they would be able to do more than 3,000 doses a day.
He says opening the convention center wouldn't happen until the county has an adequate supply of vaccines.
Poloncarz was asked why another larger facility like Bills Stadium, which has more parking, wasn't chosen.
"We're learning from those who are doing drive-thru vaccinations sites across the United States, you have to shut down those vaccinations sites in cold weather and it does not make sense because you have to have people 15 minutes after the vaccine, but there is also storage issues and delivery issues when it is so cold out and we know this is Buffalo. It can still get cold in March and April, it can snow in May. So it doesn't make sense to utilize an outdoor facility,” Poloncarz (D) said.
Poloncarz also said Erie County is looking at possibly working with Microsoft to create an appointment-based system that is being used in several other states and bigger counties.