New Windsor Town Supervisor George Meyers and State Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson (D, Newburgh) are urging state and federal officials to approve local facilities for distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Meyers said while there is a shortage of available doses, his town has the ability to get them in people’s arms as quickly as possible.
“We have six nurses in our ambulance corps, we have a building. We have the freezer and refrigeration needed for this kind of operation and we have the where with all to get it done. I just need the vaccines. If I can get the vaccines, we can put this in play right away and start with these 1b folks. Most of the people who are really concerned are the folks over 75,” Meyers said.
Meanwhile, Jacobson is calling on the state and Orange County to use the Newburgh Activity Center as a vaccination site to serve the eastern portion of the county.
He said the activity center was used “successfully as an early voting site during last year’s election.” The facility has enough space, plenty of free parking, is conveniently located and is handicapped accessible, he said.
“In addition to being one of the county’s largest population centers, Newburgh has been in a yellow zone for several weeks and its COVID rates have consistently been among the highest in the county,” the lawmaker said. “It makes no sense for people in eastern Orange to travel all the way to Middletown or Goshen to get the vaccine.”
