SUNY Oneonta showed its appreciation Monday, May 10, to all involved in organizing and operating the New York state-run COVID vaccination site on its campus. In recognition of the effort needed to sustain the site, Acting President Dennis Craig presented vaccination site workers with an oversized thank-you card at a gathering this morning on campus.
“I hope the hundreds of signatures from our students, faculty and staff can begin to express our gratitude. On behalf of SUNY Oneonta, I offer our sincerest thanks to the National Guard and Bassett Healthcare Network for continuing to make this possible, day after day,” said Craig. “I consistently hear feedback about how efficient and well-run this site is. Our college is proud to host this site and grateful to the workers who have made COVID vaccination accessible to the residents of Otsego County and the surrounding communities.”
“The mass vaccination site at SUNY Oneonta continues to be a tremendous success," said Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig. "The City of Oneonta strongly advocated for this site at the college, which Bassett Heathcare Network and the National Guard have run like clockwork. It is a shining example of the power of teamwork in meeting complex challenges. The result — thousands of local residents now vaccinated against COVID — speaks for itself.”
State Senator Peter Oberacker said, “Our region was a vaccination desert until an oasis emerged at SUNY Oneonta. After visiting the campus testing center, I advocated for a vaccination clinic with full confidence that it would be first-rate, and the college came through. Personnel with the National Guard, Basset Healthcare Network and SUNY Oneonta are to be commended for taking on a historical task and succeeding.”
“I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every worker at the SUNY Oneonta vaccination site. You all should be commended for your exceptional service and professionalism,” said state Assemblyman Joseph Angelino. “Your efforts are so important in ensuring our community moves forward.”
The state’s mass vaccination site at SUNY Oneonta opened in March. Since then, over 30,000 people have received shots in the college’s Alumni Field House. The site has begun offering walk-in appointments to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on a first-come, first-served basis. Any eligible New Yorker who has not received a COVID vaccination also can schedule an appointment directly at a New York state-run site by visiting New York State’s vaccine scheduler.
