City ends partnership with Philly Fighting COVID

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) – The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has announced that it is no longer working with Philly Fighting COVID to provide tests or vaccines.

The Department of Health cites the change in corporate status of Philly Fighting COVID as the reason for the end of the partnership.

“We were recently made aware of a change in PFC’s corporate status that took place without our knowledge, from non-profit to for-profit. As part of this change, PFC has updated its data privacy policy in a way that could allow the organization to sell data collected through PFC’s pre-registration site, ”said Jame Garrow, a spokesperson for the health department.

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Garrow called the changes disturbing.

“The City has not been made aware of the sale of this data. But the fact that PFC made these changes without discussion with the City is extremely troubling. Due to these concerns, as well as the unexpected shutdown of operations of PFC testing, the health department has decided to stop providing vaccines to PFC, ”added Garrow.

The health department is currently developing plans to shift future vaccine allocations to other providers.

It is also planning new clinics to ensure that people who have been vaccinated at the PFC clinics at the Convention Center can receive their second dose.

The City of Philadelphia strongly recommends that those who wish to express their interest in immunization do so through the City Portal at https://www.phila.gov/vaccineinterest.

Statement from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health:

“The Philadelphia Department of Public Health will no longer work with Philly Fighting COVID to provide tests or vaccines, effective immediately. We were recently made aware of a change in PFC’s corporate status that took place without our knowledge, from non-profit to for-profit. As part of this change, PFC updated its data privacy policy in a way that could allow the organization to sell the data collected through PFC’s pre-registration site. The City has not been informed of the sale of this data. But for PFC having made these changes without discussion with the City is extremely troubling, and because of these concerns and the unexpected shutdown of PFC testing operations, the Department of Health has decided to stop providing medical supplies. PFC vaccines.

The Department of Health is currently developing plans to transfer future vaccine allocations to other providers and is planning new clinics to ensure that people who have been vaccinated at the PFC clinics at the Convention Center can receive their second dose. . The Department of Health will be in contact with each of these people to make appointments.

In order to ensure that the Department of Health is aware of every resident of Philadelphia who wishes to receive a vaccine, the City strongly recommends that those who wish to express their interest in immunization do so on the City portal at https : //www.phila. government interest / vaccine. By registering on this website, the Department of Health will be able to contact you to make an appointment when you are eligible and the vaccine is available.