April 24, 2021
Dear Friends,
This week our nation reached another major COVID milestone under the Biden-Harris Administration with the news that more than 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered across the United States. An estimated 40 percent of Americans have received at least one COVID shot and a quarter of our population is now fully vaccinated.
The American Rescue Plan was a major leap forward in our efforts to enact a comprehensive nationwide vaccination plan. But the success of that legislation and the work it now supports would not be possible without the continued dedication of countless health care workers, volunteers and community organizations across our region and nation. They have, for months, been building and refining the systems and infrastructure we have needed to get those vaccines in arms. They are the heroes among us who continue to carry us through these dark times.
Thanks to their work, hundreds of thousands of our neighbors, friends and loved ones across the Capital Region have received one or both doses of their COVID vaccines, and thousands more are joining the so-called “immunity community” each and every day.
Here are the numbers as of Wednesday, April 21:
- Albany County
- 153,576 people (50% of the county) have received at least one vaccine dose
- Montgomery County
- 20,076 people (40.6% of the county) have received at least one vaccine dose
- Rensselaer County
- 71,495 people (44.8% of the county) have received at least one vaccine dose
- Saratoga County
- 112,937 people (49.1% of the county) have received at least one vaccine dose
- Schenectady County
- 78,576 people (50.6% of the county) have received at least one vaccine dose.
I know many jubilant constituents who have gotten vaccinated. Many have shared their experiences with me, often praising the efficiency, organization and care of staff and workers. I have heard positive feedback on our federal vaccination sites at Crossgates Mall—formerly at the University at Albany, the Times Union Center, county health departments or at their local CVS or Walgreens. In fact, I was able to see that dedication firsthand when I toured the facilities at the Washington Avenue Armory and, like many of the tens of thousands who have been vaccinated there, I was impressed.
Conditions for getting the shot continue to improve. Crucially for anyone who has struggled to find an appointment online, we now have 16 vaccination sites in New York that have begun accepting walk-in appointments for people 60 years and older as of Friday, April 23rd. These Capital Region walk-in sites now include the Washington Avenue Armory and Crossgates Mall federal vaccination sites!
These are major victories in our collective struggle against this virus, but we still have a long way to go. And we all have a role we can play to get our communities safely across the finish line.
As we move through what we all hope are the final days of this crisis, let’s continue to follow the science and take the steps that we know will protect us and each other. Let’s continue to maintain social distancing and wear masks around others. If you’re ready and able to get the vaccine and have the opportunity, don’t wait. And if you’re not sure and you have questions, please ask! And most importantly, take care of yourself.
Thank you all for your strength throughout these long months.
And, as always, thank you for reading
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
Throughout this pandemic, my office and I have worked to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind here is some information from the VA that may be of interest to you:
- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has compiled a fact sheet on how individuals and families can avoid Pension Poaching scams.
- Pension Poaching is a financial scam targeting Veterans, survivors, and their families who are potentially eligible for VA benefits. Perpetrators of pension poaching scams can present themselves in many professions, including attorneys and financial planners.
- A popular scam occurs when an unethical advisor profits by assisting a claimant in artificially qualifying them for VA Pension benefits. The scheme often involves financial maneuvers such as advising claimants to hide their assets in trusts or annuity products. This financial exploitation can backfire and disqualify claimants from needed benefits or tie up their savings in investments that earn lucrative fees for the advisors.
- Pension Poaching scams could also involve a caregiver who requires that the Veteran or survivor have their benefits deposited into the caregiver’s bank account. VA benefits should go directly to the beneficiary (Veteran or survivor), not the caregiver.
- For more information on Pension Poaching and how to avoid financial exploitation, see the VA fact sheet HERE.