When the call the NYS number to make an appointment, they're greeted by an outgoing message saying that, due to high call volumes, they're temporarily unable to take their call. Calls to Oneida County's Covid hotline bring a similar result: 'public info hotline is not answering. This mailbox is full and cannot accept new messages.'
Oneida County officials say appointments at the MVCC vaccination site are booked through Friday, Jan. 15, and that eligible people should keep checking ocgov.net for cancellations or new dates to open.
Associated Press
MVHS, a local hub for the vaccine, says they're out of doses. Some who've made appointments to be vaccinated at MVHS says they've received an email from the health system, saying their appointments made through the state health department website for Jan. 13 are canceled. Herkimer County Health Department officials say their phone lines were so busy when they received their vaccines Monday, that they couldn't even call out. They're telling people to go to the county website and click the yellow coronavirus tab to make an appointment.
There was a buzz of activity Tuesday outside the former Audilicious building, across the street from the Adirondack Bank Center, in Utica, as workers prepared the vacant building to be a mass vaccination site, on a day yet to be announced, next week. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says communication with his office and the county health department from the state regarding this site has been minimal, if not non-existent.
"I still, to this point, as I'm sitting here, don't know the details, don't exactly when it's gonna open, don't know exactly how many vaccines are goinna be distributed," says Picente.
One thing Picente says he does know, is that he could've picked, and did pick, a more appropriate site.
"I question again the use of that facility when we had put in our plan that was submitted to the state the Utica Adirondack Bank Center, the auditorium, it's a great setup for a pod," says Picente.
We at NewsChannel 2 have contacted the governor's office with questions about next week's mass vaccination site, in Utica. We are waiting to hear back.
For more information on eligibility and how to schedule an appointment, click here.
