Allegheny County Health Department receives vaccine, finalizing distribution plan

About 4,000 Allegheny County residents have received their first dose of covid-19 vaccine so far, Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen said Wednesday – the same day the health department received its first allocation of the vaccines.

“Thousands more will receive it in the coming weeks or months,” Bogen said.

Bogen said county officials are devising a plan to distribute vaccinations to health care personnel and long-term care residents, the first prioritization group designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She said the department is starting with personnel who works for the county, including those who work on medical units, in the Allegheny County Jail, the medical examiner’s office and the health department.

The county also launched a covid vaccine information page, Bogen said, which contains answers to frequently asked questions about the vaccine and its distribution. It also provides instructions for how to register with the state as a vaccine provider and how to volunteer as part of the medical reserve corps to help with community vaccination efforts. Volunteers do not need to have a medical background to volunteer, Bogen said.

“This website is just the beginning of the health department’s vaccine plan,” she said.

Bogen and County Executive Rich Fitzgerald asked for patience as distribution gets underway.

“We are hard at work finalizing a plan to get vaccine to all of you over the next couple of months,” Bogen said. “I know you would all like it today, but we have a large number to vaccinate, and as the supply of the county increases, we will aim to get it to you efficiently and equitably.”

Bogen said the county’s covid-19 case levels have lowered very slightly since last week. The seven-day rolling average for new cases is about 820 cases per day, she said, a small decline from last week. The percent positivity rate has also dropped by 1%, to 14.6%.

Bogen said it is “far too early to let down our guard.”

It’s too soon, Bogen said, to know for sure if cases and deaths will start declining after Gov. Tom Wolf implemented temporary restrictions on indoor dining, gyms and high school extracurricular activities – especially with health officials anticipating another surge following the holiday season.

“We may be starting to see something, but I wouldn’t hang my hat on it at this point,” Bogen said.