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Pennsylvania Department of Health officials have confirmed that the number of covid-19 vaccine doses allocated since December in Westmoreland County has been reduced, as local and regional leaders continue to highlight growing problems with the state response to the coronavirus pandemic.
County Commissioner Doug Chew said analysis of state data found that 56 of the state’s 66 counties (not including Philadelphia, which receives doses directly from the federal government) received a higher percentage. high vaccine per capita. Westmoreland was the lowest among counties of similar size, he said.
The state has sent vendors in Westmoreland enough vaccine to deliver the first of two required doses to just 7% of the county’s population and to completely inoculate 3% of the county’s 348,000 people, Chew said. Other less populous counties have received enough doses to immunize a greater percentage of their residents.
In fact, Westmoreland ranked the lowest among any third-class counties in terms of vaccine doses received, Chew said.
“Everyone in Westmoreland County is struggling to get vaccinated, and we want to see our position evolve to be more in tune with our people,” Chew said.
Department of health spokesman Barry Ciccocioppo agreed that Westmoreland’s vaccine suppliers received a total of 31,891 doses, an amount that is “slightly fewer doses per capita than counties of similar size.”
Until February 19, Chew said his analysis found 10 counties with smaller populations – Cumberland, Dauphin, Erie, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer and Montour – all received more doses than Westmoreland.
State officials did not respond to questions about how the Department of Health determines the number of doses sent to each county or the exact number of vaccines Westmoreland has been bypassed.
“Based on the total state allocation, the department will look to increase Westmoreland doses going forward, and as supply increases again, we will work to ensure they receive a sufficient supply.” compared to peer counties, ”Ciccocioppo said.
Excela Health, Westmoreland’s largest healthcare provider, has received about half of the county’s allotted vaccine doses, or about 16,000 doses, according to chief medical officer Dr. Carol Fox.
The county’s vaccine allocation does not appear to match the population or percentage of people aged 65 and over who are now eligible to be vaccinated, she said.
“We want to make sure that we get as many vaccines as possible” in the arms of those most at risk for the virus, Fox said.
About 23% of the county’s residents, or more than 81,000 people, are 65 and older, according to US Census data. Seven counties (Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster and Philadelphia) have more inhabitants in this age group.
Regional approach?
How vaccine doses are assigned remains a mystery to leaders across the region, who say they have asked the state to explain the criteria used but have received no response from the health ministry.
Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey Vaughn said frustration was mounting over vaccine allocations.
“We are disappointed with the criteria that have been tweaked and changed again,” said Vaughn, noting that Allegheny is the only county in the region to have received a direct allocation of vaccine doses from the state.
Allegheny is also the only county in southwestern Pennsylvania with its own health department. As of this week, records show she has received more than 50,000 doses of the vaccine that have been distributed to the elderly at local clinics in the past two months.
Commissioners from seven other counties – Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland – met remotely this week to discuss the possibility of forming a regional health service.
Vaughn said early estimates suggest that a multi-county health department would cost around $ 8 million. She warned that talks are in their early stages to determine what regulatory and legislative approvals would be needed before such an agency can be formed.
“We need to look at the options, whether it’s for a county or at the regional level,” she said.
Fayette Commissioner Dave Lohr said cost would be a factor as well as the impact a regional health service would have on businesses and local residents.
“We’re all trying to figure out what’s best for our people,” Lohr said.
Westmoreland commissioners have dismissed calls asking the county to create its own health department. Commissioner Gina Cerilli launched the idea of a regional department that includes several counties last week.
“We are very interested in creating a regional health service as opposed to an individual service for Westmoreland. Obviously, the county wouldn’t suffer such a big financial blow, but the department will be geared towards the needs of western Pennsylvania, ”Cerilli said.
Chew was less engaging, saying that many of the oversight tasks and responsibilities the state currently demanded of a health department as well as the logistics of an agency having to serve a large geographic area could tarnish the interest.
“I am not convinced that this is feasible at the regional level,” Chew said. “I just think that a lot of requirements make this task difficult, if not impossible, for a lot of countries.”
Rich Cholodofsky is a staff writer for Tribune-Review. You can contact Rich at 724-830-6293, [email protected] or via Twitter .
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Local | Regional | Top stories | Westmoreland
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