TAKE FIVE!

October 26, 2021

Samantha Mango:
Hi, I’m Samantha Mango. Welcome to Sullivan 180 Presents… Take Five! Our guest today is Haley Motola, from Sullivan County Public Health Services. Welcome Haley. Thanks for being here.

Haley Motola:
Thank you for having me.

Samantha Mango:
Can you please introduce yourself and give us a description of your role at Public Health?

Haley Motola:
My name is Haley Motola, and I’m an epidemiologist for Sullivan County Public Health Services. In addition to the usual work that I do on communicable and reportable diseases, for COVID, (which I know is what most people are thinking of right now), I oversee a lot of the case investigating, the contact tree, statistics, geographic location, hotspots, as well as any logistical findings that could help prevent the spread of COVID.

Samantha Mango:
Great. So you’ve been really busy!

Haley Motola:
Very!

Samantha Mango:
Can you talk about the current vaccination rates in Sullivan County, and tell us why it’s so important to get those rates up?

Haley Motola:
So of the entire population of Sullivan County, about 58.2% of our county is fully vaccinated. (That includes young people under 12 who are not yet eligible, and those people who can’t get vaccinated). Of the population that is “18 and older”: 69.9% of the population is vaccinated, as of today. So we’re getting there, but it’s super important to keep working towards an even higher number. It is vital that people get vaccinated in order to stop the spread of COVID-19, and keep people safe. You are more likely to be hospitalized if you are not vaccinated and more likely to die from COVID-19 if you are not vaccinated

Samantha Mango:
And who is currently eligible for vaccinations? And I’m also asking this to include the booster shots that were just recently approved.

Haley Motola:
A regular COVID vaccine, (not the booster) is available for anybody who is “12 years old and up”.

Haley Motola:
The new Pfizer Booster Shots are available for people “65 years and older ,and have had the Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months ago”. Again: this is just for people who have had the Pfizer vaccine.

Haley Motola:
For those aged “50 to 64 that have an underlying medical condition”, the booster is available if you had the Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months ago.

Haley Motola:
For those “18 to 49”, the booster is available IF you have an underlying condition AND have had the Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months ago.

Haley Motola:
For those “18 to 64”, boosters are available for those who are “at an increased risk” AND have had the Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months ago. “Increased risk” due to occupational or institutional settings: being an essential worker or living in a congregate setting, being around immunocompromised, or anyone who has to be “within six feet of another person” to due to a job or caring for somebody. You also have to have had the Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months ago.

Haley Motola:
We do not have booster shots for Moderna or J+J at this time.

FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT VACCINATIONS AND BOOSTER SHOTS: PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK ON THE RIGHT.

Samantha Mango:
And where can people get their vaccination shots?

Haley Motola:
Right now and next week, we are having a clinic at Public Health in Liberty. From 10:00am to 1:00pm, we’re offering boosters. And then 2:00pm to 6:00pm, we’re offering the vaccine: both first dose and second dose, and we are also offering the boosters. You can also go to www.vaccines.gov and type in your location to find the nearest place to get vaccinated.

Samantha Mango:
Great. Are you doing the clinics every Wednesday?

Haley Motola:
Yes! Clinics every Wednesday, 2:00pm to 6pm, at the Public Health Offices in Liberty.

Samantha Mango:
What would you tell someone who is still hesitant to get their vaccination?

Haley Motola:
If someone is hesitant to get their vaccine, I would say: “call the office and ask to speak to me”. I would love to talk to anybody who is on the fence. I will talk to them one-on-one and answer any questions. Non-biased, no judgment. Feel free to call and ask for me. If you, or someone you know, is hesitant about getting the vaccine for whatever reason, I’ll gladly talk to them and go through the statistics and the science of the vaccine.

Samantha Mango:
And at what number can they call you?

Haley Motola:
(845) 292-5910.

Samantha Mango:
Great, thank you so much for that. Is there anything else that you’d like to share?

Haley Motola:
I’d like to give an extremely big THANK YOU to all the people who work at Public Health, and all those folks that have volunteered. My amazing team of Public Health Workers, staff, and incredible nurses that I work with every day. So big THANK YOU! to everybody. And thank you to Sullivan 180 for all the work you guys do!

Samantha Mango:
Oh, thank you!. You guys have been tremendous. You’ve been working so hard and we appreciate it.

Haley Motola:
Thank you so much.

Samantha Mango:
Thanks for joining us today. Haley, we appreciate you and we appreciate Sullivan County Public Health and thanks for helping Sullivan 180 build a healthy community!

Haley Motola:
All thank you so much for having me.