Revised CDC Guidance Shakes up Pennsylvania’s Vaccination Plan

Revised federal guidance that expands the pool of Americans eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine left Pennsylvania health officials scrambling to rethink their statewide immunization plan. 

Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said Wednesday that when the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said residents age 65 or older or with preexisting health conditions should move to the front of the line, the Department of Health had to shift gears.

center square

“Things changed last night in terms of what the federal recommendations are, and we take that to heart and are working on plans now,” she told the Center for Rural Pennsylvania during a panel discussion. “They have jumbled the categories. It’s going to take time for everyone in this new category … to get vaccinated, and it will lead to a delay in other people getting vaccinated.”

The original Phase 1A included health care workers and residents of long term care facilities, but the slow pace of administration encouraged federal health officials to expand that group. Of the 25 million doses shipped to states, just 9 million have been dispensed. 

“Every vaccine dose that is sitting in a warehouse rather than going into an arm could mean one more life lost,” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told reporters Tuesday. 

In Pennsylvania, state records show more than 311,000 residents have been immunized since last month. The state has received nearly 1 million doses of the vaccine.

Levine said delays over the holidays stifled the state’s rollout of widespread vaccinations. The rate of administration has been improving in recent weeks, she said, but challenges still persist.

“We only get so much vaccine,” she said. “If we see it [an increase], we will put it out. We also don’t know from week to week exactly how much we are going to get until that Friday.” 

Levine said the state and its pharmacy partners – like CVS and Walgreens – are coordinating on building an online system for residents to use when they are ready for immunization. The tool isn’t operable, yet, but should help connect eligible residents with the state’s limited doses.

Health officials focused on administering the vaccine in rural parts of the state said additional roadblocks – such as hesitance from younger residents and lack of manpower – make mass immunizations difficult.

“The limiting step as we get into larger groups to be immunized is staff,” said Dr. George Garrow, chief medical officer of the Primary Health Network, the state’s largest federally qualified health center. “We’ve actually had to close offices because our staff has been impacted by COVID.”

Dr. Cary Funk, director of Science and Society Research for the Pew Research Center, said about 52 percent of rural Americans indicated they’d receive the vaccine; however, younger residents without complicating risk factors show more hesitance overall. Lawmakers present for the panel discussion wondered aloud whether their public support would influence more vaccinations.

“Those who see little personal need are quite divided about whether they’d do it,” Funk said. “The more that you have people that are trusted in that community, that share the values of that community, the better.”

+ posts

The Center Square was launched in May 2019 to fulfill the need for high-quality statehouse and statewide news across the United States.

The focus of our work is state- and local-level government and economic reporting. A taxpayer sensibility distinguishes our work from other coverage of state and local issues. As a result of this approach, our readers are better informed about the focus of state and local government and its cost to the citizens whose tax dollars fund governmental decisions.

The Center Square is staffed by editors and reporters with extensive professional journalism experience. We engage readers with essential news, data and analysis – delivered with velocity, frequency and consistency.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
3 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Gregory Grier
Gregory Grier
3 years ago

Let’s get it out there. NJ did it in a matter of days.

Donald Marritz
Donald Marritz
3 years ago

This is important information, delivered in a timely way. Thank you

David Weingard
David Weingard
3 years ago

I’m 80 and ready for mine

3
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x