SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras visited Upstate University Hospital as the last of the first shipment of the vaccine was given Wednesday.
SUNY Upstate has now used 100% of its allotted COVID-19 vaccines from a shipment that arrived in mid-December. Over 6,000 staff have been vaccinated with the first round of vaccine and over 100 have received their 2nd dose. SUNY Upstate President Mantosh Dewan said he’s optimistic to have the entire workforce protected from the virus very soon.
As a distribution center, SUNY Upstate is responsible for the distribution and some of the inoculations for healthcare workers in all 5 surrounding counties as well as Syracuse’s 3 local hospitals.
Malatras believes the SUNY system across the state will play a big role once vaccinations are offered on a larger scale. With campuses statewide and students volunteering to help administer the vaccine, Malatras said the commitment of SUNY to helping in this crisis is unparalleled. “You just see everyone stepping up in big ways,” he said. From face shields to vaccines to personnel, “we are pooling all of our tools and assets at this time and that shows the lead of the SUNY system.”
Malatras said colleges have been in constant contact with local government and New York State’s Department of Health in the vaccine distribution process and said Central New York and the Syracuse region is a model of cooperation and believes as the process expands SUNY will be “willing and ready to go”.
