COVID-19 vaccine will continue to be available for children ages 6 months-5 years by appointment, and for patients during Sexual Health Center and Family Planning Center visits
ERIE COUNTY, NY – The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) will end its COVID-19 testing services and vaccine clinics at the Jesse Nash Health Center (608 William Street, Buffalo) at the end of January. COVID-19 vaccine services for children will shift to the ECDOH Immunization Clinic, also at 608 William Street, by appointment. Since most pharmacies will not vaccinate children under 3 years old, ECDOH will continue to offer the new pediatric (6 months-5 years) bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine and all other Pfizer and Moderna formulations available through its Immunization Clinic; call (716) 858-7687 to schedule an appointment.
COVID-19 testing at the Jesse Nash Health Center will also end on January 27. Free at-home COVID-19 tests are available through many municipal offices (see www.erie.gov/ppe for locations), and at the Jesse Nash Health Center and Rath Building in Buffalo. Community organizations can also make requests for at-home tests through www.erie.gov/ppe.
This decision was made based on very low numbers of Erie County residents seeking COVID-19 testing or vaccine from this location. “The demand for our COVID-19 services has decreased substantially,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. “At-home COVID-19 tests are widely available. Most pharmacies and many medical offices offer COVID-19 vaccine routinely as part of their regular medical care. ECDOH has incorporated COVID-19 vaccine into our clinical services at 608 William Street, and will continue to offer this vaccine during patient visits.”
Dr. Burstein continued, “If circumstances change and we see a strong need and demand for COVID-19 testing or vaccine, we are prepared to bring those services back in some form.”
Vaccines.gov has a searchable map of COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine locations. ECDOH will continue to provide free COVID-19 vaccine at its Curbside Care activities and scheduled vaccine events with community groups. Sexual Health Center and Family Planning Center patients can request COVID-19 vaccine during medical visits.
ECDOH will also end its Vax Visit program as of January 27. This program, which started in May 2021, has provided residents with COVID-19 vaccine and Mpox vaccine for free at home. Mpox vaccine will continue to be available for free through the ECDOH Sexual Health Center.
