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In this update:
Pushing state to prioritize PA residents for vaccine over individuals from out-of-state
This week included many updates and changes to the state’s haphazard rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. A bipartisan task force was created in the wake of many frustrated Pennsylvanians disappointed with the unilateral rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, which led to Pennsylvania lagging behind every other neighboring state when it comes to percentage of population vaccinated. Under the updated guidelines released earlier this week, senior citizens and those with pre-existing medical conditions will continue to be prioritized for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines under a revised distribution plan that puts an emphasis on population, population over 65, infection rate, and COVID-19 death rate. The task force also announced that teachers will eligible to receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine under their own separate program and will not be included in Phase 1A (senior citizens and those with pre-existing medical conditions). Teachers will not receive priority status nor will they receive vaccinations ahead of those in Phase 1A and are expected to return to the classroom for in-person instruction. In the wake of these changes, I noted that our local seniors are very frustrated with the lack of coordination and scatter-shot approach to the vaccine rollout to date, and rightfully so. People should not feel like finding a vaccine is like trying to get the hottest toy for Christmas. This approach leads irritated senior citizens to call every pharmacy and health care provider in the hopes of obtaining a vaccine. Following the announcement, I submitted a letter to the Acting Secretary of Health, Alison Beam, seeking to limit the vaccine to eligible Pennsylvanians. As of this morning (Friday, March 5), there were 96,730 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered to individuals who reside out-of-state with 56,792 individuals already receiving the second dose. On the other hand, there have been 27,832 of the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to York Countians and 26,027 fully covered. There have been more than three times as many people who reside outside of the Commonwealth who have received the vaccine than York Countians. This is unacceptable.
I’ve also heard from several parents who cannot return to their job due to being forced to stay at home with children who have no option but remote learning. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a substantial increase in the number of mental-health related visits for school age children from April through October last year compared to the same time in 2019. Getting our children back in the classroom will help us restore lives and livelihoods and help us get back to normal. The Senate Education Committee and Senate Health and Human Services Committee heard that very message during a public hearing earlier this week, as well. The message from teachers, parents, students, representatives of state agencies and other key stakeholders was clear – Pennsylvania students need to be back in the classroom as soon as possible to safeguard their educational development and mental health. You can read more here. Senate Appropriations Committee to kick off state budget hearings next week Next week, the Senate Appropriations Committee will kick off its series of public hearings on the governor’s budget proposal. If you have an opinion on the governor’s budget proposal, please let me know here. Tune in to hear feedback on where we stand with the (never-ending) Mt. Rose Interchange when PennDOT testifies, or election concerns when the Department of State testifies. All hearings will be streamed live on my Facebook. The schedule above is subject to change. Our full committee hearing schedule on the governor’s proposed budget can be found here. |
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