By Rick Miller, Olean Times Herald | Feb 26, 2021 | Reprinted from oleantimesherald.com
SALAMANCA — Another 325 people received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine Friday at the Seneca Allegany Resort and Casino Events Center.
The 5,000-square-foot vaccination site with three vaccine administration stations was a cooperative project between the Cattaraugus County Health Department, the Seneca Nation and the casino.
On Thursday, people in group 1B — essential workers and those with medical conditions deemed cause for vaccination as soon as possible — who were initially scheduled for last week were vaccinated. Last week’s clinic was canceled due to extreme weather in Texas and across the South, which hindered shipment of vaccine.
Friday’s vaccinations were from the health department’s waiting list, which at one time had grown to more than 2,000.
“We’ve got the ability here to expand to a bigger POD (point of distribution),” said Emergency Services Director Chris Baker. “This is a good partnership with the health department and Seneca Nation and casino.”
The health department has hosted other vaccination clinics — at the Olean Campus of Jamestown Community College, at the county fairgrounds in Little Valley and at the Delevan Volunteer Fire Department’s training center.
People who came in with appointments on Friday went to the registration table where they signed in and were given a card directing them to return in four weeks for the Moderna booster shot.
After receiving the vaccine from volunteer nurses, people were counseled on what to expect in terms of effects at the site of the injection. Then they were observed by medical personnel for 15 minutes before being allowed to leave.
The health department’s Vaccine Call Center can be reached at (716) 701-3777.
Meanwhile, there were 25 new cases of COVID-19 reported on Friday by the health department — 14 women and 11 men. Sixteen residents were hospitalized with COVID-19.
The total number of county residents who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 has risen to 4,332 — 1,991 men and 2,341 women. There have been 86 deaths.
Friday’s 2% daily positivity report was lower than the state average. The seven-day rolling average was 2.8% and 14-day average was 3.2%, all which continue to trend downward.
The southeast corner of the county led in positive COVID-19 test results with 15. There are now 2,482 in the southeast sector, which is more than half the county total.
The southwest and northeast corners of the county each had five new cases. The Northwest had no new cases for a second straight day. There are now a total of 665 cases in the southwest, 712 in the northeast and 474 in the northwest.
Health department staff are now following 198 cases, 703 in contact quarantine and 62 in travelers quarantine.
ALLEGANY COUNTY officials reported 15 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the total to 2,943 since the pandemic began.
Of the cases to date, 2,815 have recovered, with 47 active. The county’s death toll stands at 81, state officials reported.
Official reported 1,772 tests were conducted on Thursday, with 93,501 tests conducted to date. County officials reported 236 active quarantines on Friday, with 10,617 to date.
The county’s seven-day average for positivity in testing for the virus was 0.3%, according to the state Department of Health’s data. That is by the far the lowest percentage in months.
According to the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker database, 354 county residents received their first dose of the vaccine between Thursday morning and Friday morning. To date, 3,896 county residents have received at least one vaccine dose — at 8.4% of the county’s population, the lowest in the state, but an increase of 0.8 percentage points since Thursdaty morning.
Officials reported 2,156 residents have received the two doses necessary to be effective.
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