Noelle E. C. Evans

As of Wednesday, Rochester residents in historically underserved areas can register for a vaccine at a FEMA site.

The FEMA site, at the Former Kodak Hawkeye Parking Lot on St. Paul Street, opens for vaccinations next Wednesday. It’s one of four locations across the state intended to reach people in areas with low vaccination rates.

Deborah Stamps with Rochester Regional Health says it’s especially important that Black and Hispanic residents sign up. 

Thirty detainees have tested positive for the coronavirus at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, the center’s second COVID-19 outbreak since the pandemic began.

Rochestarians from the country Myanmar are protesting for a second week. About ten people gathered outside of the Federal Building in downtown Rochester on Friday. 

About 8,000 miles away from Rochester, in Southeast Asia, a military coup overthrew the country’s elected government just weeks after insurrectionists attacked the Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Hospitals in Monroe County will begin to allow limited visitation next week. 

University of Rochester Medical Center hospitals will open up to some visitors on Monday, followed by Rochester Regional hospitals on Tuesday. 

Patients receiving certain types of care can designate two people who may visit one at a time. However, those receiving end-of-life care can have up to two visitors at once.

Phyllis Siembor and her 15-year-old goddaughter stopped by a candy shop this week with two red envelopes -- and a purpose.

The envelopes contained valentines for a 9-year-old girl whom Rochester police officers handcuffed and pepper-sprayed during a mental health crisis two weeks ago.

With the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, conspiracy theories have been rampant: There's a microchip inside of it. It'll alter your DNA. It will actually give you COVID-19.

They're simply not true, said Dr. Nancy Bennett with the Finger Lakes COVID-19 Vaccine Taskforce. 

“There’s no microchip," Bennett said. "It will not have any impact on your DNA and yourself.”

State lawmakers are proposing reform after Rochester Police handcuffed and pepper-sprayed a 9-year-old Black girl Friday.

New York State Senator Samra Brouk and Assemblymember Demond Meeks announced Monday that they are proposing legislation to ban the use of chemical agents -- like pepper spray -- on minors by police.

Advocates are calling on New York state lawmakers to put policies in place to protect nursing home residents. 

This comes in the wake of a report by the state attorney general that there was an undercount of COVID-19 deaths in long-term care facilities.

The AARP Foundation and SAGE, an organization that advocates for older LGBTQ people, announced that they’re working together on an initiative to address needs of older LGBTQ people.

While the pandemic has impacted all aspects of life, for older LBGTQ people of color, it has exposed the effects of long-term discrimination

“COVID-19 has made those challenges worse, but the reality is these severe difficulties and disparities existed long before COVID-19,” Michael Adams with SAGE said.