New York has reopened its mass vaccination site at The Aviation Mall in Queensbury about five months after shutting it down due declining demand for COVID-19 shots.
“Testing is not as accessible here as it is in a major city,” said Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Rachel Seeber. “So what’s key about this center reopening is it’s going to offer both, testing and vaccinations.”
The site was shut down in July as the number of New Yorkers seeking the shot dropped off. But with people now eligible for boosters and children eligible for the vaccine, small doctor’s offices and clinics have been overwhelmed by an increase in demand.
What You Need To Know
- New York reopened its mass vaccination site at The Aviation Mall in Queensbury this week
- Testing will also be available at the site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
- This is the first mass site in the state to offer both services
“It’s coming at exactly the right time,” Seeber said.
The reopening occurs as the omicron variant looms. President Joe Biden said Thursday the federal government was looking to stay ahead of the curve.
“We’re going to launch hundreds of new vaccination clinics across the country,” the president said. “These sites are going to offer vaccinations for the whole family. One stop.”
Heath officials say with a new variant and our typical flu season underway, testing is of utmost importance.
“If you know you’re going to be around your family and you you’re in a big gathering or you’re traveling, whatever event that you’re trying to get back to some of that routine in your life testing is going to allow them to be able to do that,” Seeber said.
Testing will be available at the Queensbury site from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Vaccines will be administered on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The site will be closed on Sundays.
It’s the first mass site to offer both services.
“This is more, I think, of an opportunity for those, maybe they’ve been on the fence, you know, maybe they haven’t been able to take time off of work to go,” Seeber said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the days vaccinations will be available. The article has been updated.
