Erie Co. to work with community providers to help vaccinate teens

MONTH AGO.

BUT RIGHT NOW THEYARE ONLY ABLE TO GET THEPFIZER VACCINE.

LOCAL HEALTHOFFICIALS SAY THAT IS ONEREASON WHY SO FEW YOUNG PEOPLEARE VACCINATED....... RIGHTNOW ABOUT 47-PERCENT OF NEWYORKERS HAVE RECEIVED THEIRFIRST DOSE.

BUT THAT GOES ALLTHE WAY DOWN TO 16-AND-A-HALFPERCENT FOR PEOPLE AGE 16 TO25.TONIGHT GILAT MELAMED LOOKS ATSOME OF THE CHALLENGES THATARE KEEPING SHOTS OUT OFYOUNGER PEOPLE'S ARMS -- ANDTHE STEPS SOME PEOPLE ARETAKING TO TRY AND BRING THOSENUMBERS UP30% OF 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS INERIE COUNTY HAVE AT LEAST ONEDOSE OF THE VACCINE.

THECOUNTY IS LOOKING TO CHANGETHAT& "THAT IS ONE OF OUR NEWSTRATEGY IS WORKING WITHCOMMUNITY PROVIDERS THAT SEEADOLESCENTS AND GIVING THEMALIQUOTS OF PFIZER THAT THEYOTHERWISE COULDN'T ORDER TOHELP THEM BE ABLE TO VACCINATETHEIR PATIENTS." DR. RACHELKAUFMAN WITH BUFFALOPEDIATRICS AND ASSOCIATES SAYSIT COULD BE TOUGH TO VACCINATEPATIENTS AT HER OFFICE & "IT'SPOSSIBLE TO HAVE A CLINIC IN APLACE WHERE THE VACCINE CAN'TBE STORED, BUT THERE'S A LOTOF ADVANCED PLANNING THAT HASTO GO INTO THAT TO ENSURE THATYOU CAN GET THE PEOPLE THEREBECAUSE ONCE YOU START TO THAWTHAT VACCINE THE CLOCK ISTICKING AND YOU HAVE TO USE ITBEFORE IT GOES BAD." SHE SAYSVACCINATING CHILDREN IS ACRITICAL PART OF REACHING HERDIMMMUNITY& AND BELIEVES THECOUTNY'S TEEN SPECIFIC POP-UPCLINICS ARE A GOOD WAY TO DOTHAT.

NIAGARA FALLSSUPERINTENDENT MARK LAURRIESAYS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ISMEETING WITH SENIOR CLASSOFFICERS TO GET THEIR HELPRAISING VACCINATION RATES&"KIDS HEARING FROM KIDS IS THESTRONGEST MESSAGE." HE SAYSTHE DISTRICT THOUGHT ABOUTBRINGING THE VACCINE TOSCHOOLS, BUT IT WOULD BE TOUGHTO STORE& GOVERNOR CUOMO SAYSHIGH SCHOOLS SHOULD CONSIDERBUSING STUDENTS TO VACCINESITES& "WE HAVE THE BUSCOMPANY ON NOTICE.

I'M WILLINGWITH PARENTAL PERMISSION TOALLOW STUDENTS TO DO THATDURING THE SCHOOL DAY WITHTRANSPORTATION SO THAT WECOULD GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED."SOME STATES& LIKE WESTVIRGINIA& ARE PAYING YOUNGPEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED.

"IFYOU WANNA GET THE TEENAGERPOPULATION VACCINATED OFFERTHEM $20 BUCKS, BOOM, IPROMISE YOU IT'LL BE DONE."SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRANDSAYS IT WOULD BE UP TO THEPRESIDENT OR GOVERNOR TOAUTHORIZE THAT&.

THE FDA ISEXPECTED TO APPROVE THE PFIZERVACCINE FOR 12-15 YEAR OLDSNEXT WEEK.

GILAT MELAMED, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS.MORE THAN 105 MILLIONAMERICANS ARE NOW FULLYVACCINATED.

BUT THERE IS