This week, urgent care facilities and residents of drug-addicted rehab facilities will get the vaccine before older Americans who are not in nursing homes. The rehab clients appear to be receiving the vaccine at the same time as nursing home patients.
In addition to urgent care center employees and “individuals who are administering the COVID-19 vaccines, for obvious reasons,” Cuomo said that shots would be given to residents of “OASAS” — the state Office of Addiction Services and Supports.
The agency runs 12 treatment centers across the state, with five located in or around New York City, and also certifies and monitors “hundreds” of private facilities, according to its website.
THEY’RE CONGREGATE FACILITIES AND THEY LOBBIED FOR IT
“These are congregate facilities. Congregate facilities are problematic. That’s where you have a lot of people in concentration,” Cuomo said
Residents and staffers will be vaccinated at both the state-run and privately operated rehab centers, as well as at facilities run or licensed by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities and the Office of Mental Health, according to the state Department of Health.
Emergency medical services personnel, medical examiners and coroners, and some funeral workers will also get shots, a DOH spokeswoman said.
Luke Nasta, a director of the New York Association of Substance Abuse Providers, said the non-profit group had lobbied for rehab patients to receive vaccinations.
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