New Coronavirus Mass Vaccination Site To Open In Selden: Bellone

SELDEN, NY — A new coronavirus mass vaccination site is slated to open in Selden — Suffolk County's third overall — county officials announced Wednesday afternoon. The latest site is scheduled to open Thursday but could be delayed due to delivery issues brought on by poor weather around the country.

The site will be at Suffolk County Community College Ammerman Campus, at 533 College Road, Selden. The other two sites are at the Suffolk County Community College campuses in Brentwood and Riverhead.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said the newest site gives mid-Suffolk easy access to the coronavirus vaccine. There are plenty of parking spaces, and the campus is accessible by public transportation.

"I know what is on the mind of most everybody in the county and, quite frankly, across the country, and that is vaccines," Bellone said. "Vaccines, vaccines, vaccines. Because we know that vaccination is ultimately the way out of this pandemic and to end it once and for all. We are making progress on that front, as well."

The Selden site will start by vaccinating those with co-morbidities and underlying medical conditions, as well as municipal employees and Northwell Health front-line workers. The county also plans to distribute 1,000 vaccines to Stony Brook University Hospital and its federally-qualified health centers to dose those with underlying health issues.

The coronavirus positivity rate has dipped throughout Suffolk, according to Bellone. The county averaged a 6.2 percent positivity average at the start of February. Currently, the average sits at 4.6 percent, Bellone said. Hospitalizations are down as well; less than 550 people are currently in the hospital with COVID-19; down from 679 at the start of the month, Bellone said.

"Little by little, we're making progress in the battle against COVID-19 and in this second wave and the surge in cases," he said.

The second wave, Bellone said, tracked closely with the holiday season. The county did not experience a spike from the Super Bowl, and Valentine's Day weekend has yet to reveal a noticeable bump in coronavirus cases, according to Bellone.

"It's a reflection of the fact that people in Suffolk County continue to be vigilant and take this very seriously," he said.