The Pennsylvania Department of Health released the latest revised COVID-19 vaccination plan, which includes people who are 65 and older and those 16-64 with certain underlying medical conditions that make them more vulnerable to the disease.
“Pennsylvania is expanding our vaccination efforts to start including anyone over 65 and people ages 16-64 with serious medical conditions that make them more at risk for severe illness due to COVID-19,” said Cindy Findley, Department of Health’s Deputy Secretary for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, and leader of the state’s Vaccine Task Force.
The CDC has defined this group as people who have conditions like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), cancer, sickle cell disease and chronic kidney disease. Pregnant women are also included in this group. A full list of these medical conditions is available in version 5 of the interim vaccine plan.
While the number of people eligible to get vaccinated is expanding, the allotment of vaccine doses that Pennsylvania is receiving from the federal government is not increasing. During a recent press conference, the Bucks County Commissioners expressed frustration with the lack of vaccine available.
“It is very frustrating that the federal and state governments keep identifying more and more citizens who are priorities for the vaccine without providing the vaccine or even any dates for possible deliveries,” said Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, chair of the Bucks County Commissioners.
“There are clearly supply chain issues that are beyond the control of county governments, but we are being left to explain this to a public that is growing increasingly frustrated. The federal and state governments need to tell the truth to citizens: they do not have anywhere near an adequate supply of vaccines.”
To help people determine when they are eligible for vaccination and how to get vaccinated, the state has developed a vaccine eligibility quiz. Once people complete the short vaccine eligibility quiz to determine if it is currently their turn to get vaccinated, they can go to the interactive online map to find a vaccine provider near them. They can schedule an appointment directly with that provider.
FAQs can be found here.
