GO Health

Press release:

This week the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) have "One & Done" single dose Johnson & Johnson Janssen (J&J) vaccination clinics with appointments and walk-ins available targeting those who are 18 and older and open for any New York State individuals, who reside, work or study in the state.

“With proms, graduations, weddings, fairs, etc., getting the J&J vaccine now means that two weeks after the date of your shot you are considered fully vaccinated,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health director for GO Health.

“It takes more planning to get the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines as they are two doses and it will take two weeks following the second dose to be fully vaccinated, which would be 5-6 more weeks before you can participate in large events without the time and expense of testing.

"To learn more about the safety of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine please visit the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). We encourage everyone to talk with their primary care provider if they have concerns about any of the vaccines. With the options we currently have we continue to encourage everyone who is able to get vaccinated with the vaccine they are comfortable receiving.”

All clinics offer walk-in opportunities; however, we encourage you to register via the vaccination webpage or use the vaccine registration help lines below, and choose the appropriate J&J link.

• The GCC clinic is scheduled for Wednesday, May 5^th from 9 – 11 a.m.  
• Special Clinic -- Genesee County Office for the Aging, Downtown Batavia is scheduled for Wednesday, May 5^th from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. 
• The Ridgeway Fire Hall clinic is scheduled for Thursday, May 6^th from 9 – 11 a.m. 
• Special Clinic -- Orleans County Health Department is scheduled for Friday, May 7^th from 10 a.m. – noon.

For those who do not have internet, they can call the GO Health Vaccine Registration Help Lines:  

• Genesee:  (585) 815-7168
• Orleans:  (585) 589-3170

These lines are ONLY to make vaccine appointments, are not able to answer COVID-19-related questions, and are not associated with either health department.  

“We continue to see positive cases in unvaccinated individuals and it will continue as we work toward getting more of our population vaccinated,” Pettit said. “There are plenty of options to get any of the three vaccines offered. For your health and the health of others we encourage everyone who is able to be vaccinated to get vaccinated now.”

If you are interested in making an appointment to get your COVID-19 vaccination, now is the time to do it locally!  

If you are a business/church/organization that is interested in hosting a vaccination clinic at your location, please fill out the survey. One of our staff members will be in contact with you.

For those who are seeking testing, both health departments provide limited free rapid testing for those without symptoms at the respective health departments. For Genesee County, a rapid test drive-through clinic is scheduled for May 6^th at County Building #2, 3837 W. Main Street Road, Batavia. For Orleans County, a rapid test clinic is scheduled for May 5^th at the Orleans County Health Department at 14016 Route 31 West, Albion.

To register for testing go to the GO Health testing page and choose your preferred clinic location.

Press release:

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) have first-dose Moderna vaccination clinics with appointments available targeting those who are 18 and older and open for any New York State individuals who reside, work or study in the state.

“We have first-dose Moderna vaccination clinics scheduled on Tuesday, April 27^th at the Ridgeway Fire Hall, Route 104, Medina; and on Wednesday, April 28^th at the Athletic Center at Genesee Communiyt College Batavia Campus Center,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health director for GO Health.

“These clinics are open to anyone who is 18 and older. We want to see all of these clinics filled up with those who can also commit to returning for the second dose of the Moderna vaccine 28 days later."

Walk-ins will be accepted at both clinics from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Currently in New York, being fully vaccinated will begin to offer opportunities that have been limited for the past year. Anyone who is fully vaccinated (two weeks after the J&J vaccine or the second dose of Pfizer and Moderna) will be able to participate in various activities without having to be tested for entry for events such as professional sports, weddings with more than 100 guests, proms, graduations and more.

Also, when fully vaccinated, the individual will not have to quarantine if they are exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Most importantly, you are protecting your health along with others you come in contact with.  

Visit the vaccination webpage at https://bit.ly/GOHealthVaccine. Choose either the GCC Moderna Clinic or the Orleans Moderna Clinic button and follow the directions. Keep the link handy, as there will be other clinics moving forward.

The buttons are live when we have that particular vaccine available. If the clinic is full or we do not have vaccine, it will show "No Appointments Available." Please share this information with family, friends, coworkers and social groups.

For those who do not have internet they can call the GO Health Vaccine Registration Help Lines:

Genesee: (585) 815-7168

Orleans: (585) 589-3170

These lines are ONLY to make vaccine appointments, are not able to answer COVID-19-related questions AND are not associated with either Health Department.

If you are interested in making an appointment to get your COVID-19 vaccination, now is the time to do it locally!

If you are a business/organization, have 50 or more people that is interested in hosting a vaccination clinic at your location, please fill out the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GOHealthPopUpVaccineClinic

For those who are seeking testing, both health departments provide limited free rapid testing for those without symptoms at the respective Health Departments. For Genesee County, rapid test drive-through clinics are scheduled for April 27^th and 29^th at County Building #2, 3837 W. Main Street Road, Batavia. For Orleans County, rapid test clinics are scheduled for April 28^th and 30^th at the Orleans County Health Department at 14016 Route 31 West, Albion.

To register for testing go to the GO Health testing page: https://orleanscountyny.org/covid19testing/ and choose your preferred clinic location. Follow the directions.

Press release:

This is National Public Health Week and this year’s theme is called “Building Bridges to Better Health. ”This is the time to recognize the contribution of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving the health of our community.

“Public health has been at the forefront this past year due to the highly visible response of COVID-19,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health).

“However, public health has been promoting, protecting and preventing illness and disease in our communities along with our community partners for many years.” 

The GO Health team reminds everyone to take a moment to think about your health and the health of our community. Although COVID-19 has been the primary focus this past year, it is also important to remember to prioritize preventative health measures such as: 

• Cancer screenings for breast, colorectal (colon), prostate and skin;
• Regular well-being and well child visits;
• Blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol tests.

It is also important to prioritize your own physical and mental health by: 

• Eating a well-balanced diet;
• Engaging in daily exercise (walking, running, dancing, taking the stairs, biking);
• Avoiding tobacco/nicotine use and excessive alcohol use;
• Getting at least eight hours of sleep each night;
• Participating in activities you enjoy;
• Connecting with others, even if we are physically apart.

GO Health hopes that with these reminders, we can work together to build a stronger, healthier community where even though we may be physically distant, we are working together to stay healthy and promoting the health of our community. 

“Since it is National Public Health Week, I would like to take the time to thank our GO Health team and community volunteers for their dedication and commitment to our community over the past year,” Pettit said. “We celebrate and recognize you for your perseverance and resilience during such a challenging time in public health.”