As the state expands the eligibility of those who can be vaccinated against COVID-19, the demand in parts of the Southern Tier still outweighs the supply.

What You Need To Know

  • The Chautauqua Center in Jamestown and Dunkirk has started a vaccine waitlist
  • The center has vaccinated about 2,500 to date
  • Allegany County started a waitlist in January, but supply should vaccine the remaining 100 on it
​​

Michael Pease, CEO of The Chautauqua Center in Jamestown and Dunkirk, announced the arrival of an online COVID-19 vaccine waiting list for all priority populations in groups 1A and 1B, including teachers.

"65 and older, health care workers, people with chronic conditions," said Pease.

Pease says the waitlist was designed to decrease the center's influx of phone calls from those wanting the vaccine.

It also gives the center quicker access to those patients when the center gets its supply.

"We're able to identify those folks quickly who still need a COVID vaccination and it allows us to connect with them and get them scheduled when we do get vaccines from New York State," said Pease.

The center has already vaccinated about 2,500 people to date, though the supply is hit-or-miss.

Pease says the center places a weekly order, but it's up to the state to decide how many doses it gets.

"It really is random and we never know for sure when we're going to get any, it just makes our waitlist even more important," said Pease.

"The overwhelming need was there, and the vaccine was not. So, we started the waiting list," said Anita Mattison, Allegany County Office for the Aging director.

Mattison says her office started a waitlist back in January as seniors were looking for a place to get vaccinated.

She says there was only one small pharmacy doing them early on, as her office was helping residents without internet access to sign up online.

"The phone calls that were coming in to the local pharmacy were just too many to handle," said Mattison.

Mattison says the waitlist had topped 3,700 people, until more pharmacies, the hospital, and health department started vaccinating those 65 and older.

She says her office will step back from the list, as the number is now under a hundred, with enough vaccine on the way to take care of the rest. 

"It's very exciting. I'm very pleased and I really appreciate all the collaboration with all of the pharmacies, and the hospital, and the Department of Health so that we can make sure older adults are vaccinated," said Mattison. 

Mattison says the next vaccine clinic is set for Wednesday.

A link to the center's list can be found here.