ERIE COUNTY INTRODUCES “VAX VISIT” SERVICE TO VACCINATE ANY ERIE COUNTY RESIDENT AT THEIR HOME 

Individuals and households can schedule at-home COVID-19 vaccination through the Erie County COVID-19 Information Line at (716) 858-2929

ERIE COUNTY, NY – The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) is introducing a service where a “Vax Visit” team will go to any individual’s residence to administer COVID-19 vaccine.

Any Erie County resident can call the Erie County COVID-19 Information Line at (716) 858-2929 to schedule a Vax Visit. This program will use Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine as supply is available.

After more than 60% of eligible residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, demand for COVID-19 is declining. That trend in Erie County and Western New York follows what is happening nationwide.

“Our Vax Visit program is another way we are shifting our large, centralized vaccine clinic model to a more flexible model that meets people where they are – close to their home, close to their workplace or when they are at events or activities,” explained Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. “We have an active calendar planned to reach Erie County residents at places they like to spend time in the warm weather, like Erie County parks and community events. Those events will complement our other popups clinics at senior housing, schools, village and town halls, houses of worship, business and workplace sites.” 

“Our department began vaccinating homebound and home-limited residents at home in March 2021 with county staff and partnering with Buffalo Homecare Inc. and the Visiting Nursing Association of Western New York,” said Dr. Burstein. “To date, this program has fully vaccinated more than 1,000 residents at their homes. This has proven to be a slower, but effective, vaccination model, and this expansion emphasizes convenience and access for all county residents. We have always said we would go door-to-door to vaccinate if we have to, and now is the time to start.”

Residents who sign up for a Vax Visit will be contacted to schedule their visit; these residents are strongly urged to pick up the phone if they receive a call from an unknown number.

Until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides its approval for emergency use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in the 12-15-year-old age group, the Vax Visit program will be available only to residents ages 16 and older. ECDOH will coordinate COVID-19 vaccination clinics for ages 12 and older at school sites throughout the county and partner with community pediatricians to vaccinate their patients in their medical home once authorized by the federal and state governments.

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• Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH), COVID-19: http://www.erie.gov/covid19/vaccine
• ECDOH, COVID-19 Information Line: (716) 858-2929 – foreign language interpretation available
• New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Vaccination Hotline: (833) 697-4829 (833-NYS-4VAX)
• NYSDOH Vaccine Tracker: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/covid-19-vaccine-tracker
• Printable flyer - Vax Visits

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