With a third vaccine, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, made available, more and more residents have been able to get vaccinated. This week, Orange County is holding vaccination distributions Tuesday through Friday, totalling 5,200 first doses in Goshen and 500 for the Orange County Department of Health for group homes that have a lack of transportation.

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said if you are signed up on the county list, which can be found at vaccination.orangecountygov.com, you will likely receive notification of an appointment for this week. Despite the Johnson & Johnson vaccine now made available, and two others available as well, Neahaus said he can’t guarantee what kind of vaccine will be distributed.

“I have thousands of people that are looking to get the vaccination and it’s first come first serve,” said Neuhaus at his Monday briefing. “If you answer the phone and say you don’t prefer the vaccine, I have to go to the next person … I have too many people on the list and you get what you get.”

On Monday, March 9 Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that New Yorkers 60 years of age and older are eligible to receive the vaccine. Next in line are government employees, nonprofit workers and essential building service workers who can begin being vaccinated on Wednesday, March 17. In that group includes public work employees, social service and child service caseworkers, DMV workers, County Clerks, building service workers and election workers.

Pharmacies will continue to vaccinate those who are eligible because of age, while mass vaccination or pop-up vaccination sites will serve essential workers.

“Supply is steadily increasing and we’re opening new vaccination sites and expanding eligibility to match it,” said Cuomo in a press release.

One of the ten newly announced mass vaccination sites includes SUNY Orange at the Diana Physical Education Center in Middletown, who has already been vaccinating a number of Newburgh and New Windsor residents. Next closest is one located in New Paltz at the Ulster County Fairgrounds.

As of Monday, March 15, 22.5 percent of New Yorkers have received a first dose, while 11.6 percent are fully vaccinated. According to a dashboard from New York State, 64,348 people from Orange County have received the first dose while 32,564 have completed the vaccine series.

Additionally, Cuomo announced that there is no longer a required quarantine for domestic travel beginning on April 1. While it will not be required anymore, it is still recommended for an added precaution.

“As we work to build our vaccination infrastructure even further and get more shots in arms, we’re making significant progress in winning the footrace between the infection rate and the vaccination rate, allowing us to open new sectors of our economy and start our transition to a new normal in a post-pandemic world,” said Cuomo in a press release. “As part of that transition, quarantine for domestic travelers is no longer required, but it is still being advised as an added precaution. This is great news, but it is not an all-clear for New Yorkers to let their guard down.”

Neuhaus reported on Monday, March 15 that there were 440 new positive COVID-19 cases over the weekend, including nine deaths of those aged between 50 and 80-years-old. Thirty people are on ventilators, which is an increase of five since Friday, while 90 people are hospitalized, which is up ten since Friday. The City of Newburgh has 155 of the active cases, which falls behind Middletown and Wallkill. The Town of New Windsor has 144 and the Town of Newburgh has 127 active cases.

“Despite the numbers and the negativity that is out there, there is still a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Neuhaus in his Monday briefing. “I don’t want you to give up hope. We’re going to vaccinate 7,000 or so this week.”