Lack of COVID Vaccine Availability For Seniors in the Hamptons

My parents are seniors, and long-time residents of East Hampton and are in high-risk COVID-19 category, as they are both over the age of 75. It is now February 14th, and to-date there are practically NO designated vaccination sites in the Hamptons. They, and other seniors like them, are physically unable to drive 60-80 miles to obtain vaccinations, nor can they spend 24/7 on the phone trying to get appointments. Point of reference, I live on the Jersey Shore and it took me 340 telephone redials and subsequently one hour on hold to get through for a vaccine appointment at my doctor's office. Once I got through, I was then #17 in the cue and waited another 45 minutes.

Many seniors either have no access to the internet, nor do they have the tech knowledge to navigate appointment websites. Stonybrook Southampton Hospital, the only hospital close to the Hamptons, is only vaccinating healthcare workers.

ONLY ONE CVS (in Manorville, NY) is offering the vaccine, but they are about an hour away from East Hampton by car. In addition, I have inside knowledge that the CVS on Pantigo Road in East Hampton (Store #5063 ) has no intention of offering vaccinations. Why is that? There is no excuse!

There is also ONLY ONE Walgreens location in Bridgehampton, NY offering the vaccine, but of course there are no appointments available.

Despite the fact that the Town of East Hampton FINALLY opened a centrally-located designated vaccination site yesterday(Saturday February 13th) at the former Child Development of the Hamptons building in Wainscott, they only received a supply of 300 doses which were designated for healthcare workers, teachers, firefighters, etc. (300 doses to cover an estimated 700 people).

In addition, once the supply is beefed up and eligibility widened, there are NO instructions provided anywhere as to residents can arrange appointments. I have been checking the local newspapers/websites daily, as well as the Town and Village websites of the Hamptons, and there remains little to no information. This is an OUTRAGEOUS and literally murderous situation!

Questions: Why are doctors' offices and urgent care clinics in the Hamptons not offering the vaccine? Why are private pharmacies there not offering the vaccine? Why are there no mobile vaccination units?

Now, it is my understanding that the Government officials in the Hamptons have written to NYS Governor Cuomo and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone about the lack of vaccine allocation to the East End of Long Island, but there has been no further update and certainly if there are any, no updates have been made available for residents of the Hamptons. Only one of the Councilwomen in East Hampton has been in correspondence with me and is wonderful. There has been much made of the lack of vaccine allocation to rural communities - the Town of East Hampton is a rural community and not everyone in the Hamptons are affluent enough to fly private jets to vaccine sites. I just read Hamptons celeb resident Christie Brinkley traveled to Astoria, Queens to receive her vaccination.

My parents cannot drive hundreds of miles - not only is it the drive, but my father is unable to stand on long lines, as are many other seniors, and there is the issue of wanting to avoid public restrooms to avoid COVID exposure - seniors cannot go for hours without access to a safe restroom. The longer high-risk individuals, especially seniors, are forced to wait for the vaccine, the greater likelihood they will succumb to this virus. This is reckless and negligent. I want to be there to help my parents, but we are trying to stay safe by keeping separate, unless and until we receive our vaccinations, they must cope without me.

Unless and until there is an increase in designated vaccine sites on the East End, along with some semblance of distribution plan, organized appointment system and safe access for seniors, there remains fear, confusion, isolation and a lack of desperately-needed hope and family support.