Expand Coronavirus Vaccine Access On East End: Zeldin

EAST END, NY — Rep. Lee Zeldin is demanding expanded coronavirus vaccine access on the East End.

Zeldin sent a letter recently to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker to establish the state vaccination sites on the East End. Currently, he said, the closest state vaccination sites for residents of the North and South Forks are located in Stony Brook, up to 75 miles away from East End residents, and Jones Beach, which is up to 100 miles away.

“The hours it could take East End residents to travel to these vaccination sites are an undue burden, especially for those Long Islanders who need the vaccine most, including our seniors, frontline workers, and others,” Zeldin wrote in the letter. “The state should immediately set up East End locations. Time is of the essence, and the state must urgently rectify this lack of accessibility for my East End constituents.”

On Wednesday, Cuomo said that a pop-up vaccination site, one out of 35 announced to reach underserved communities, will be opened in Hampton Bays.