Coronavirus News: Suffolk County continues push to get residents vaccinated

HAUPPAUGE, Long Island (WABC) -- Amid growing reports about millions of Americans missing their second dose of the COVID vaccine, Suffolk County is launching a public awareness campaign to fight the hesitancy.

"Because we want to get to the point where we can say the virus is behind us once and for all," said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.

For the first time since November, Suffolk County is now dipping below a 2% daily positivity rate for COVID with nearly 45% of residents getting at least one dose.

But will they all come back?

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"As restrictions get lifted people who may have been naturally hesitant thinking, well, do I really need to get the vaccine at all now," Bellone said.

Eyewitness News spoke to people with a mix of reluctance and determination. But each one had a different reason for showing up Thursday.

Islip resident Tim Stolz doesn't ever want to revisit what COVID felt like when he had it last year.

"And I didn't want to go to the hospital because nobody knew if I was going to come out alive," Stolz said.

Holtsville resident Nancy Roberts said she was hesitant because she wanted to see the science of it.

Riverhead resident Delanie Warner said the vaccine was her way back to normalcy.

"I'm ready to go back to my bachelors program in the fall, like in person, so...do what you gotta do," Warner said.

If people are missing their second doses because they just can't get to them in time, the county is also hoping to fix that.

As of next week, residents can walk into any county pod between the hours of 3 and 9 p.m. and get a second dose.

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