'We're In A Race To Vaccinate': Bellone On Coronavirus

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — There's cause for optimism regarding the coronavirus pandemic as the infection rate and hospitalizations continue to decline in Suffolk County, but county officials find themselves in a "race" to vaccinate as many people as possible, Executive Steve Bellone said on Tuesday.

The current seven-day rolling average for the county's coronavirus positivity rate is 4.3 percent; that rate was 5.6 percent two weeks ago and 7.8 percent one month ago, Bellone said. Currently, there are 451 Suffolk residents hospitalized due to COVID-19; 652 were hospitalized two weeks ago.

"The continued decline we're seeing, coupled with our vaccination efforts, means that we can see light at the end of the tunnel," Bellone said. "Of course, those vaccination efforts are critical. The vaccine is what will enable us to get back to normal and build back stronger after one of the most difficult and challenging years we've ever seen."

The holiday-time surge that brought the county's coronavirus numbers up to levels not seen since the height of the outbreak is a month in the past, Bellone said. Suffolk's numbers improve each week as people have limited gatherings following the holiday season, the county executive said.

With the positivity rate decreasing, Suffolk County officials are turning their attention to vaccination.

"We're in a race to vaccinate as many people as possible, so we can crush this virus before it's able to mutate and evade our efforts to destroy it," Bellone said.

Last week, the county opened its third coronavirus mass vaccination site on a college campus: at Suffolk County Community College Ammerman Campus in Selden. It joined Brentwood and Riverhead as the other points of dispensing, or "PODs."

Last week, the county did not receive its weekly vaccine allotment due to bad weather and limited supply, preventing the county from operating any of its first-dose PODs. However, as of Tuesday, it received two weeks' worth of allotments, Bellone said.

All three first-dose PODs will be running this week, and Bellone projects that 10,670 people will be given their first dose of coronavirus vaccine at the three sites.

The county expects roughly 3,000 teachers will be vaccinated this week, as based on guidance from New York state, officials are prioritizing teachers among other essential workers for vaccination. The decision comes weeks after "high-risk" sports were allowed to resume at schools.

"Kids need to be back in school," Bellone said. "Anything we can do to help facilitate that at the county, we want to do that."

Only essential and municipal employees are currently being vaccinated at the county's three PODs on Suffolk County Community College campuses, as the county is working with organizations to provide vaccines to those who need it the most. As the supply of vaccines increases, doses will be made available to the general public, Bellone said.