ALBANY – State-operated COVID-19 vaccination sites will be opening in the coming weeks at both the SUNY Orange Middletown Campus in the Diana Physical Education Center and at the Ulster County Fairgrounds in New Paltz.
Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus said the center to be located at SUNY Orange “is positive news and the college will serve as a great venue.”
“We are all in this pandemic recovery together, and SUNY Orange has been prepared to help our New York State and Orange County partners in whatever ways are necessary,” said Dr. Kristine Young, SUNY Orange president.
But, Newburgh City Councilman Robert Sklarz said eastern Orange residents need their own site.
“We simply need a standing mass vaccination site in the City of Newburgh. Our elderly, our people without transportation, they need that. The signup on the county website, I encourage everybody to do that, but it is very, very cumbersome for some people who just cannot handle a computer,” he said.
Senator Mike Martucci (R, New Hampton) said the SUNY Orange center is a true gamechanger and my focus will continue to be on delivering the vaccine locally to hasten our recovery.”
Senator James Skoufis (D, Cornwall) said he fought along side Neuhaus and Martucci “because, as one of the highest impacted regions by the pandemic, it is essential that this area be vaccinated.
State Assemblyman Colin Schmitt (R, New Windsor) said the news of the community college location is “about vaccine equity for area residents and the need to set up one of these sites locally; instead of forcing residents to drive to New York City or way update.”
Ulster County Legislature Chairman David Donaldson said he has “every confidence that this site at the Ulster County Fairgrounds will provide seniors, and other vulnerable populations in the greater Hudson Valley region with access to life saving vaccines.”
