Cayuga Health System Thanks Tompkins County Health Department for Trusted Partnership 

With 50,000 Vaccine Doses Administered, County Leads Southern Tier Region of NYS 

April 29, 2021 Ithaca, New York – Cayuga Health and the Tompkins County Health Department announced today at a joint press conference that they have administered over 50,000 vaccine doses, a significant COVID-19 milestone. Tompkins County leads the Southern Tier Region of New York State in the percent of the population with at least one COVID-19 vaccine. Nearly 60% of Tompkins County residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine. 

“We are incredibly pleased to announce these numbers today,” states Dr. Martin Stallone, President & CEO of Cayuga Health System. “Working together with the Tompkins County Department of Health we have reached the impressive mark of vaccinating 50,000 individuals against COVID-19 with at least one dose. Not only are we leading the whole Southern Tier region of our state, but to know that nearly 60% of our residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose is something to be very proud of.” 

The following participated in today’s press conference: 

 RoAnn Destito, New York State Office of General Services Commissioner 

 Frank Kruppa, Director, Tompkins County Health Department 

 Jason Molino, Tompkins County Administrator 

 Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Chairwoman Tompkins County Legislature 

 Martin Stallone, MD, CEO, Cayuga Health System 

 John Carrigg, President & CEO, UHS, Inc. and UHS Hospitals and leader of the Southern Tier Vaccine Hub 

“This operation was in full cooperation with our county government and public health department and was a lesson in cooperation and trust,” adds Stallone. “Born out of the mutual experiences and cooperation around mass COVID PCR testing that began and continues on these premises right now. And importantly, we are continuing to act. We tirelessly endeavor to push our vaccination rate higher, ever attempting to defeat the scourge of COVID-19.” 

Excerpt from Dr. Stallone’s press conference speech: 

“Vaccine operation facts to feel proud and learn from: 

– This operation was the first to reach the scale and speed that it did. Per vaccinator, it is the fastest and most efficient operation of its kind. 

– Fully operational and equipped with sufficient vaccine, it is capable of flowing more than 200 patients per hour. That is a tribute to the great operators we have as well as the facility that was dedicated and shaped to accomplish this goal. I would like to recognize all that went into doing this, both effectively and safely. 

– Local solutions and cooperative partnerships like this offer great value to NYS. Every vaccine that was administered by this proud operation represents no cost to NY. 

– As stewards of public resources at a time when resources are constrained, an efficient, high value and free operation is a wonderful value proposition. 

– CHS sacrificed to make this happen. It was not free to us. We believed in this mission and we put the resources forward in concert with the county with no promise of a return. This was a decision that was supported by our Board and I hope it is appreciated by the community. This happened at a time when hospitals are under great strain, with CHS being no exception. 

– The CHS operation relied heavily on volunteers who gave up their time and expertise for free. Doctors, nurses and community members and even community members with no medical training came into the fold to make this a success and we owe them a great debt of gratitude. 

– It also broadened ownership over this operation. It quickly became a fact that it was not a Cayuga Health operation or a Tompkins County operation, it was a community operation. This became the community’s vaccination program. 

– The CHS vaccination operation went mobile on numerous occasions and was the backbone of points of distribution that reached vulnerable or underserved populations and this is a point of pride.” 

“We did make a difference,” stated Stallone in closing. “There are family, friends and loved ones in this community who are here today because we reached as many people as we did with the vaccinations.” 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: John Turner, Vice President, Public Relations

Cayuga Health

(607) 274-4498

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About Cayuga Health 

Cayuga Health (CH) has two hospitals, Cayuga Medical Center and Schuyler Hospital, as well as a multi-specialty group, Cayuga Medical Associates. Combined employment, including affiliated organizations, is over 2,500 employees. CH is clinically linked to Mayo Medical Laboratories, Rochester Regional Health for cardiac services, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center for cancer services, and the University of Rochester for neurosciences. Visit www.cayugahealth.org for more information.