NEW YORK (WKBW) — New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Monday the New York State Department of Health issued a letter to hospitals warning they can be fined if they do not administer 100% of the COVID-19 vaccine allocation it has received by the end of the week.
NYSDOH says in addition to being fined it will not receive further allocations of the vaccine, it will use a hospital that can administer the vaccine better. Going forward hospitals will have seven days to use the allocation.
Gov. Cuomo said Monday hospitals statewide have used about 46% of the total allocation. The governor provided a statewide chart with the highest and lowest performing hospitals in regard to how much of the allocation it has used, locally ECMC has used about 62%.
"We want those vaccines in people's arms...we need them to administer the vaccines faster," said Cuomo.
The governor also announced the state will expedite the federal program for vaccinations at nursing homes.
A special effort will also be done by the state to supplement vaccine distribution. Drive-thrus will be established by the state for public distribution of the vaccine, public facilities will be used and the state will recruit additional retired medical personnel to help in the effort.
