Erie Co. residents travel to Rochester and beyond for the vaccine

Several people said the UB South state-run vaccination site has no appointments available when they check.

ERIE COUNTY ISREADY TO GIVE OUTABOUT 17-HUNDREDDOSES OF VACCINETHIS WEEK.BUT THAT DOES NOTCOVER ALL OF THEPEOPLE WHO AREELIGIBLE TO GETONE.AS GILAT MELAMEDREPORTS TONIGHT-- THAT HAS SOMEPEOPLE LOOKINGTO MAKE A DRIVE TOGET THEIR DOSE."NO APPOINTMENTSAVAILABLECURRENTLY."A FAMILIARMESSAGE TO RENETYLEC OF BUFFALO."I WAS VERYSHOCKED THAT UBDIDN'T HAVE ANYAPPTS AVAILABLE."SEVERAL 7EYEWITNESS NEWSVIEWERS COMMENTON FACEBOOK THEYARE GOING TOROCHESTER ORSYRACUSEINSTEAD.TYLEC SAYS SHE'LLMONITOR THE SITESEVERAL TIMES ADAY TO TRY ANDGET ANAPPOINTMENTCLOSER TO HOME."IT'S VERYDIFFICULT, IWOULD HAVE TOTAKE A DAY OFFAND THERE'S NOWEEKEND APPTSAVAILABLE AND SOIT WAS JUST ALITTLEFRUSTRATING."AS OF LATE MONDAYEVENING.

THECLOSEST OPENAPPOINTMENT ONTHE STATE'SWEBSITE IS INSYRACUSE.THE STATEDEPARTMENT OFHEALTH SAYS ITALLOCATES DOSESBASED ONREGIONALPOPULATION.

ANDSITES ARE SPREADACROSS THE STATESO NEW YORKERSHAVE EQUALACCESS.LESLIE BARDAKFALLS UNDER THEUNDERLYINGCONDITIONSCATEGORY.HER APPOINTMENTIS IN ROCHESTER ATTHE END OF MARCH."I HAVEN'T SEENBUFFALO OPEN UPWITH ANAPPOINTMENTAVAILABLE AT ALLSO I WASSPECIFICALLYLOOKING FORROCHESTER."THE STATEDEPARTMENT OFHEALTH SAYS THEGOAL OF A SITE ISTO VACCINATEPEOPLE IN THATREGION.

BUT THEGOAL IS TO GETSHOTS IN ARMSQUICKLY ANDEFFICIENTLY.THEY SAY PEOPLEWILLING TO TRAVELREFLECTSINADEQUATESUPPLY.<QUOTE ONSCREEN