Assemblyman Chris Tague (R,C,I-Schoharie) has called on Gov. Cuomo and Health Department Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker to empower local authorities within communities to play a larger role in developing vaccine distribution plans in a letter written in conjunction with his Assembly Republican colleagues.

Tague is concerned vaccine distribution has been far too slow and believes that giving local authorities a say in vaccine distribution will help them be distributed more quickly and to those who need them most based on the unique needs and circumstances of specific communities.

“The effective distribution of these vaccines is, without exaggeration, a matter of life and death, and we cannot allow vaccines to sit around unused when people need them because of sluggish bureaucratic processes,” said Tague. “The people who know their communities best are those who live in them, and no two towns or counties are exactly alike. We need to let local authorities have a say in this process, because a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to this problem will only bring more tragedy to our communities.”

Letter may be viewed here.