BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) announced it will close its COVID-19 Information Line on Thursday after 28 months of service.
According to the ECDOH, the information line received nearly 300,000 calls over 28 months.
"The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) established the COVID-19 Information Line in the pandemic’s earliest days. It served as a dedicated resource for Erie County residents for nearly two-and-a-half years, starting with information about testing and safety and extending into general information support and vaccine appointments," a release says.
The ECDOH said it led the line and was supported by staff from the Division of Information and Support Services. The Department of Public Works played a role in its operation.
“Our call takers had to be responsive and informed, even at times where the information that we had changed from day to day and hour to hour. They became subject matter experts, problem solvers, and a calm voice on the other end of the line during uncertain times.”
The ECDOH said the line will transition to a voice recording starting Thursday at 4 p.m. and will direct callers to the ECDOH website for COVID-19 testing and vaccination information.
Callers will have the option to be transferred for:
- Contact tracing during business hours
- Requesting a duplicate vaccine record card or Excelsior Pass issues
- Looking to schedule a vax visit
