At Vaxmobile, demand rises for COVID shots
A Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shot is administered as the Mount Sinai South Nassau Vaxmobile visits Freeport High School on Tuesday. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
Officials at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside, whose Vaxmobile visited a local school for the first time Monday to administer vaccines to children ages 5 to 11, said they have seen a higher demand for the vaccines against COVID-19 in recent days.
"We put a certain number of appointments out for Baldwin students, and they were booked within an hour," hospital spokeswoman Dana Sanneman said Wednesday.
The Vaxmobile was fully booked for its 30 slots Monday when the mobile unit visited Baldwin High School. For Friday, the 100 booster appointments, to be offered at Mount Sinai South Nassau Annex, are already taken.
"Since they announced the [omicron] variant, the number of people calling [Tuesday] and Monday looking for boosters was much higher than I've seen recently," Sanneman said.
On Wednesday, a line formed outside the bus when it opened at 10 a.m. in Island Park, hospital officials said. It was scheduled to be at the Island Park Municipal Building until 4 p.m., with vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 offered from 2 to 4 p.m.
"Anecdotally, we are hearing increased concern" over the new variant omicron, hospital spokesman Joe Calderone said. "Certainly, people are asking questions and expressing concern about it. And it might be prompting people to seek the booster."
The Vaxmobile will be on Washington Street in Hempstead Town on Thursday from noon until 5 p.m., with vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 offered between 3 and 5 p.m.
"We would just urge people to seek out the booster [and] the pediatric vaccine. Talk to your provider if you have any questions or concerns," Calderone said. "The best way to keep yourself and your family safe, especially as we head to the holidays, is to get vaccinated."
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