This is not an excuse when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccinations. It’s just a fact.

New York has 19 million residents. If the state is receiving between 250,000 to 300,000 vaccines weekly, it will take a long time before everyone receives their treatment. The good news? There is some progress.

“We’re vaccinating in what has been the largest effort since World War II. It’s amazing, I’ve been all over. The state of New York opened up mass vaccination centers, smaller vaccination centers, pop-up centers and pharmacies will be stepping up now which is great,” state Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said during a State of the State address hosted by Dunkirk Mayor Wilfred Rosas. “We have to figure out now that when we look at a county like Chautauqua County there’s not huge urban areas, that accessibility is really important when we look at where people congregate.”

We are in a tough situation when it comes to vaccinations. The only state-sponsored sites are in Buffalo and there are no other in the Southern Tier until Binghamton. Chautauqua County offered one clinic last week and some are becoming frustrated with the process.

County officials have asked residents to remain patient — as though last week more than 9,000 here had the first of two shots. That means another 120,000 are still waiting. Another large number.