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In New York State, healthcare providers have told the same story in recent weeks: They were forced to throw away precious doses of vaccine due to difficulties in finding patients who precisely matched strict immunization guidelines. state – and severe penalties they would face if they had been imposed. a mistake.
State health officials responded to the outcry over the thrown vaccines on Saturday by sharply relaxing the guidelines again as coronavirus cases continued to rise.
Now, medical providers can administer the vaccine to any of their employees who interact with the public if there are extra doses in a vial and no one from the “priority population can enter until the doses expire. “, We read in the new directives. “Store clerks, cashiers, stockpersons and delivery staff” at a pharmacy may be eligible, according to the guidelines. California last week took a similar step.
This is the second time in two days that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration has relaxed restrictions on who can get vaccinated in New York state. The governor on Friday announced that medical providers could immunize a wider range of essential workers and New Yorkers 75 years and older as of Monday.
The new, more lenient guidelines highlight the difficulties the state has encountered in balancing the need to rapidly vaccinate vulnerable populations with the imperative to prevent fraud and favoritism in the vaccine distribution process.
Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive in upstate New York and critic of the governor’s vaccine distribution efforts, said the new rules were “a smart move.”
“They are taking place little by little in a tangled mess,” he says.
A spokesperson for the state’s health department said the new guidelines were the culmination of a week-long process.
“This guide sets out and clarifies what we have been discussing with hospitals for weeks on how to maximize their doses to ensure that no vaccine is wasted,” said spokesperson Gary C. Holmes. “We don’t want confusion and want to make sure everyone understands the procedures.”
Neil Calman, who runs an immunization clinic as head of the Institute for Family Health and has had to throw away unused vaccine doses, welcomed the rule change, as well as another change he says allows registered nurses and licensed practical nurses administer the vaccine. .
But he called for even more relaxation of the rules to allow vaccination of at-risk patients with diseases like diabetes, obesity and heart disease under the age of 75.
“We see them in our office, and it looks like we’re turning them down today so that we can call them back in a week and say, ‘Now you can get your vaccine,’” Dr. Calman said.
The new guidelines address the challenges of administering a mass immunization program in a country with a health system that includes public and private hospitals, drugstore chains and clinics.
Mark Levine, Chairman of the New York City Council Health Committee, noted on Twitter That websites for vaccine appointments include one for the city’s public hospital system, another for the city’s department of health and mental hygiene, and one for Costco.
“For the community clinics, 7 have their own different websites, 4 require a call and 1 via email,” he added.
He called for a unified planning system for the whole of New York City.
New York City was due to launch a new website on Sunday to address those concerns.
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