The Allegheny County Health Department is launching a COVID vaccine registration tool next week.
"The new registration system will allow residents to pre-register so that they can be notified when the clinics open for which they are eligible," explained County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. "They will prevent people from registering for clinics for which they are not eligible, which has been one of the biggest issues we've had to deal with resulting in the cancelation of appointments."
Related
County Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen says effective immediately, the County will vaccinate all those in Phase 1A at their sites. They were initially only vaccinating those ages 65 and older, as well as those ages 50-64 with Phase 1A conditions.
"Once the new system is launched early next week, we will announce and provide info for the public to begin pre-registering with new clinics being made available shortly thereafter," said Fitzgerald.
Warnings continue on increasing coronavirus case numbers. On Wednesday, Allegheny County reported 498 new cases and 10 deaths. Bogen says the cases are increasingly in younger people.
Related
"The median age of cases fell by nearly a decade over the past few weeks and is now in the low 30s. This change was largly driven by a 6% increase in cases among those ages 5-18 and a 10% decline in cases among those age 65 and older."
The Health Department's Ross Township vaccine site opened Wednesday at the Ross Township Community Center. The site is by appointment only, taking only those 65 and up and 50 to 64 with a Phase 1A condition. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald told News Radio KDKA's Marty Griffin the appointments aren't filling up as quickly as they once were.