Harrisburg, PA – Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller today announced that Pennsylvania will partner with Walgreens to administer COVID-19 vaccinations to staff and residents of congregate care settings licensed by DHS that were not part of the federal Pharmacy Partnership Program.
This partnership expands Pennsylvania’s work with retail pharmacies to direct vaccines to congregate care settings like DHS- licensed community group homes and long-term care providers serving people with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians, helping ease access to vaccines for high-risk Pennsylvanians in Phase 1A of Pennsylvania’s vaccine plan.
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 9, there were 5,048 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,064,092.
There are 2,451 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 517 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 8, there were 4,746 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,059,044.
There are 2,425 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 484 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.
Harrisburg, PA – Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller today visited the Grace Lutheran Church of Lancaster with Lancaster’s Community Action Partnership to highlight Pennsylvania’s ongoing work to facilitate COVID-19 vaccinations for Head Start teachers and other early childhood educators through the federal retail pharmacy partnership.
“Pennsylvania’s early childhood education and child care industries have displayed incredible resilience through this difficult year. Many have continued to operate through a changed and difficult environment so children can continue to learn and grow and parents are able to return to work knowing their children are safe and cared for,” said Secretary Miller. “These educators have been on the frontline through all of it, and as we finally have vaccinations that are a critically effective tool in this fight, we are grateful to be able to ease access for this dedicated workforce.”
Allentown, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam today joined leaders from St. Luke’s University Health Network and Rabiul Chowdhury from the Muslim Aid Initiative to talk about vaccine hesitancy among minority groups across the state, including in the Muslim community.
“As more vaccine is becoming available across the state, and more Pennsylvanians are becoming eligible, we know there are individuals who are hesitant to get it, or still have questions about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine — and that is okay,” Acting Secretary Beam said. “We are continuously working to provide information to the public about the COVID-19 vaccine to ensure everyone has the proper information to make a decision on their own. The vaccine is safe, effective and has gone through extensive clinical trials. Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools available, and vaccines work with your immune system so your body will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed.”
As Pennsylvania’s vaccination plan accelerates and more than a third of the state’s eligible population is vaccinated, Governor Tom Wolf today visited a new vaccination clinic in McKeesport to talk about vaccine equity and progress.
“Since Pennsylvania providers began receiving vaccine in late December, our state has made immense progress,” Gov. Wolf said. “Pennsylvania has moved up in state rankings for vaccine distribution over the past several weeks, and we now regularly rank in the top 15 of states for first-dose vaccinations.”
