Vaccination data shows about 11% of Luzerne County residents inoculated
Mar. 9—As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance Monday for those fully inoculated against COVID-19, two Northeast Pennsylvania counties have crossed a milestone in their campaign against the virus, new state Department of Health data shows.
In Lackawanna and Luzerne counties — the region's two most populous — more than 10% of their estimated populations are fully covered, according to updated health department figures.
Lackawanna County leads the region in its percentage of residents fully vaccinated — 28,483 people, or nearly 14%, of its estimated 209,674 population. That's the fourth highest in the state, according to an analysis of vaccination data. About 11% of Luzerne County's population of more than 317,000 are fully inoculated, the 11th highest.
Lackawanna County Chief of Staff Brian Jeffers said providers have been using their limited supplies to give second doses to those who already received their first shot in January or February.
Health department distribution data shows that Lackawanna County received more than 24,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, primarily Moderna's, over the last two weeks, but the data does not specify if those doses were intended for first or second shots.
Jeffers said the number county providers received for a first dose has been "virtually zero" in the last few weeks. Right now, 21,528 county residents are partially covered, according to the health department. Tens of thousands of other county residents, eligible or not, await their first dose.
"We're happy with the progress but we still have a lot of work ahead of us," Jeffers said.
Of the 4,179,220 doses of COVID-19 vaccine allocated to Pennsylvania since they became available in December, nearly 3 million have been injected into arms, the health department said. The figures do not include federal facilities, which work directly with the federal government, or Philadelphia, which is its own jurisdiction.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health reported Monday it had administered 406,905 doses, though that number includes those who live outside of Philadelphia as well.
Elsewhere in NEPA, about 9% of Wyoming County residents are fully vaccinated and roughly 8% of Wayne County and Susquehanna County have received both of their shots. In Monroe County, about 6% are inoculated while nearly 5% of Pike County residents have received both shots, according to an analysis.
The CDC said Monday those who are fully innoculated can gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people without needing a face mask. They can also gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household without masks, unless anyone present or anyone they live with has an increased risk of a severe illness from the coronavirus.
If a fully vaccinated person has been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, the CDC said they do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless they come down with symptoms. Those who live in a group setting and who are exposed to the virus should still keep their distance from others for 14 days and get a test, even if they don't feel sick.
Inoculated or not, people should still wear a mask while in public, the CDC said.
"It's certainly optimistic and moving in the right direction but I don't think it's the time to relax restrictions or let our guard down," said Joseph Hollander, CEO of Scranton Primary Health Care Center.
Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9100, x5187; @jkohutTT on Twitter.
