The first doses of the newly approved Janssen COVID-19 vaccine to be given in Chenango County were administered March 4th at UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital in Norwich. The single-dose vaccine, developed by Johnson & Johnson, received emergency use authorization from the Food & Drug Administration in late February.

UHS Chenango Memorial received their first allocation of the single-dose vaccine on March 3rd, as did its sister UHS facilities in Broome County.  Until now, healthcare workers and others eligible in Phase 1a have been the priority for hospitals such as UHS Chenango Memorial, per the direction received from the state. Any additional doses could be used for adults 65 and older.

With this allocation, the state has directed the Hospital to make inpatient discharges – specifically patients who are either over 65 or who have qualifying health conditions who are being discharged from the hospital – the first priority.  Any remaining doses must be administered to individuals who are 65 and over.

The hospital currently has several hundred area residents on a waiting list. They are reaching out to people on that list by email and phone as vaccine appointments become available. To be added to the list, those 65 and older can call (607) 337-4888 or email their name, address, phone number and eligibility to cmh.vax@nyuhs.org.  For more information on COVID-19, visit www.nyuhs.org. For vaccine information and availability, visit www.SouthernTierVax.org.

UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital is a member of United Health Services, a locally owned not-for-profit 916-bed hospital and health care system serving the Greater Binghamton region from more than 40 locations around New York’s Southern Tier.

 

LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.

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