Allegheny Co. Short On Coronavirus Vaccines: Health Director

PITTSBURGH, PA — As the state has announced plans to greatly expand those included in Phas1A for coronavirus vaccinations, Allegheny County officials are lamenting the amount of available vaccines in the county.

According to county Health Department director Dr. Debra Bogen, the health department's vaccine supplies, and the vaccine supplies coming to the county to all providers, is "extremely limited" and unknown from week to week.

"For the past few weeks, fewer than 20,000 doses of vaccine per week were delivered to health care providers, organizations and pharmacies in the county, not including doses that went to the Federal Pharmacy Partnership to vaccinate in long-term care facilities," Bogen said in a statement.

"Until vaccine supply increases significantly, the health department strongly encourages organizations to – and supports those which have already indicated that they will – prioritize vaccinating those most at-risk for severe COVID-19 disease."

Bogen's remarks were issued after the state announced on Tuesday that Pennsylvania residents who are 65 or older and those who have high-risk conditions are now eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine.

Effective immediately, the state has expanded those eligible for vaccination in phase 1A to include anyone over 65 and people ages 16 to 64 with serious medical conditions that make them more at risk for severe illness due to COVID-19.

Bogen said the county health department will continue to prioritize those in the original Phase 1A group for the time being.

“In the coming weeks, the health department will announce its revised plans for an expanded vaccine rollout," she said. "These plans will prioritize reaching those residents 75 and older and those 65 and older with specific health conditions through large vaccination clinics, mobile clinics and pop-up events.”

Allegheny continues to lead all counties in the state in the number of vaccines administered. As of Wednesday morning, 35,412 people had received the first dose and 7,526 had received the second dose, according to state statistics. Two doses are required to be fully inoculated.

This article originally appeared on the Pittsburgh Patch