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COVID-19 is now the leading cause of death in the United States with nearly 3,000 fatalities a day being attributed to the virus. As of Monday, Jan. 11, the federal Centers for Disease Control reported 373,167 deaths nationwide due to COVID.
Help, in the form of the COVID-19 vaccine, is here, but how long it will take for the vaccine to reach everyone is uncertain. Currently, the first doses are being given to frontline workers who work in environments that put them at daily risk of exposure.
Locally, Conemaugh Nason Medical Center in Roaring Spring received 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine four weeks ago, according to Chief Executive Officer Tim Harclerode.
With the Blair County Emergency Management Agency coordinating and following CDC guidelines, local hospitals will get the vaccine out in phases, with the first phase given to hospital workers.
"We have given out the first doses." Harclerode said. "Following the CDC guidelines, we have vaccinated all our employees who have elected to get the vaccine in the first round."
Phased rollout
The Centers for Disease Control is distributing the vaccine in phases with Phase 1A currently in progress. Phase 1A includes healthcare workers and support staff and long-term care facility residents. (See accompanying chart.)
Phase 1B will include people 75 years of age or older, first responders and correctional officers, educational workers, grocery store workers, clergy, public transit workers and individuals caring for adults and children in early childhood and adult education day programs.
Phase 1C includes people aged 65-74, people aged 16-64 with high-risk conditions, essential workers in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater, federal, state, county and local government workers, elected officials and members of the judiciary and staff.
Phase 2 includes all individuals 16 and older who do not have a contraindication, meaning a history of an allergic reaction of any severity to any component of the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the CDC, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the only one approved for those age 16 and 17.
A complete list on who falls under each phase is available on the Pa. Dept. of Health website at https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Vaccine.aspx
Process has started
Harclerode said Conemaugh sent out surveys to its employees ahead of the vaccine on whether they wanted to receive it or not.
"We immediately began vaccinating all our frontline workers and medical staff who wanted the vaccine," he said.
Harclerode said Nason has vaccinated "several hundred" people so far and around 200 of those have received their second dose.
With hospital staff vaccinated, Harclerode said they are beginning to offer the vaccine to EMS, fire, police, and other healthcare entities that still need vaccinations. He said Blair County EMA is comprising a list of these entities and will divide them for vaccinations according to region.
"Where they get vaccinated depends on the area they are in," Harclerode said. "The central part of Blair County will go to Altoona, the northern part to Tyrone, and the southern part, as well as northern Bedford, will go to Nason."
While not yet finalized, Harclerode said preparations are being made for when the vaccine is made available to the public.
"We are preparing for the rollout to the community," he said. "Once we get the information from the state we can begin. We don't have the green light yet, but it's coming."
Harclerode said Conemaugh can order vaccines every week so when the time comes to vaccinate the public, the hospital will be ready.
"We will be ready," he said.
Harclerode said when the vaccine is available to the public, instructions on how to schedule a vaccination will be posted to the hospital's social media site.
Although a vaccine is here, distribution has been slow, and the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise. Holliday gatherings have contributed to the spike, but officials are cautiously optimistic that things will get better.
Harclerode said Conemaugh saw a post-Christmas spike in COVID-19 cases that has since leveled off. He said this week should indicate if there is a New Year's spike.
He said there is currently eight people hospitalized at Nason with COVID-19, which is its lowest number of cases in at least a month.
"We are hopeful that if we get through this week without seeing a New Year's spike, that we have turned a corner." Harclerode said.
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