Here's How Many First Coronavirus Vaccines Are Coming To The HV

NEW YORK, NY — Should the coronavirus vaccine receive federal approval, downstate New York is expected to receive more than 100,000 doses, including 19,200 in the Hudson Valley, nearly 27,000 on Long Island and 72,000 in New York City.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday outlined how — and when — vaccines could arrive and be distributed throughout New York.

A state panel will swiftly review the vaccines as part of Cuomo's plan to address skepticism about the accelerated development and approval process.

New York expects to receive 170,000 doses in this first shipment. Cuomo said those doses could arrive as soon as this weekend. Another 170,000 vials are expected about 21 days after that, as the Pfizer vaccine requires two doses.

If approved, the state will prioritize vaccinating nursing home residents and staff first, followed by high-risk hospital workers. Hospitals will select staff members to receive the first doses from among their frontline ER, intensive care and pulmonary health care workers.

By the end of the second week, Cuomo said the state expects all high-risk staff will receive a vaccination. After all high-risk health care workers are vaccinated, long-term and congregate care staff and residents will be prioritized, followed by EMS and other health care workers, and then essential workers and the general population, starting with people who are most at risk.

The nursing home vaccinations will be administered by private pharmacy workers under a federal program New York joined.

The hospitals will take care of administering their own shots, though some that don't have the capability to store the vaccine, which must be kept at minus-70 degrees Celsius, will receive them elsewhere.

New York has identified 90 different locations statewide, including many hospitals, that can handle the complicated storage requirements, Cuomo said.

Meanwhile, hospitalizations continue to rise across the state. Cuomo said officials believe the state is now seeing a surge in cases due to Thanksgiving gatherings and travel.

In the Hudson region, Putnam County continues to have the highest test positivity rate among the seven counties.

The Hudson region had 666 people hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Dec. 8.

Patch Editor Dan Hampton contributed to this report.