The Town of Smithtown Helps to Vaccinate 410 Senior Citizens at the Eugene Cannataro Senior Citizens Center
The Town of Smithtown, in partnership with the State of New York, and St Catherine of Siena Hospital, successfully vaccinated 410 senior citizens last week. A temporary Covid-19 Vaccine Site was implemented at the Eugene Cannataro Senior Citizens Center on April 7th & 8th, 2021. The site was operated by both Town and NY State personnel, medical professionals from St Catherine’s hospital, and emergency response support provided by Smithtown Fire Department, Nesconset Fire Department & Nissequogue Fire & Rescue.
“First and foremost, I have to thank my team here in my office, the Senior Center staff, and everyone in the Town Clerk's, Town Council & Attorney's offices who all stepped in to handle a very high volume of appointment calls. When I came down to the Senior Center to observe the operation, I was not surprised… many residents had already called me to say just how pleasant and fast the entire experience was. The Doctors and Nurses were compassionate and the team from NY State was incredibly helpful. This entire process was a success because so many people from various organizations all came together to help make a difference. It was an extraordinary thing to observe, and I truly hope we can do it over and over again, until our entire community is safe from this virus.” - Supervisor Ed Wehrheim
The Moderna vaccine was supplied to Catholic Health by NY State, with assistance from Governor Cuomo’s office, to be administered to Smithtown's most vulnerable citizens. In mid-January, a coordinated effort between Supervisor Wehrheim and Governor Cuomo’s offices began with St Catherine’s Hospital, in an effort to provide a simple registration process and satellite vaccine site for residents who have struggled with the existing online registration method.
The two day event was a success, without one vaccine going to waste. Vaccines were administered by Doctors and healthcare professionals from St Catherine of Siena Hospital. Residents were then monitored for 20 minutes prior to leaving the Senior Center. The average appointment took a total of 30 minutes, with the bulk of time going towards the required monitoring period. Those residents who received the Moderna Vaccine on Wednesday, April 7th and Thursday, April 8th will return to receive booster shots, exactly four weeks from their first vaccine, at the Smithtown Senior Center.