HARRISBURG (100.1 FM and AM 1020 KDKA) — Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf spoke on Thursday and provided an updated outlook on the commonwealth's COVID-19 vaccination distribution progress.
Wolf admitted that the rollout has been slower than desired.
Still, he laid out the importance of flexibility and downplayed the idea of apples-to-apple comparisons to other states' vaccine allotment and distribution execution.
Wolf called upon a quasi-crowd sourcing methodology to help maximize the vaccine's continued sprawling through the commonwealth.
"We need to foster these community-based solutions," Governor Wolf said. "Every community in Pennsylvania has unique needs and challenges, but we can learn a lot from listening to one another and lifting up creative solutions that are making a difference in the state's vaccination efforts."
Despite frustrations, Wolf implored Pennsylvanians to practice greater patience for the sake of the older citizens who might have a higher susceptibility to COVID-19.
Different states need different plans; that's one bullet point that Wolf drove home on Thursday.
"Every state is different and has different needs, just like every community in Pennsylvania has different needs," Wolf said. "Pennsylvania has one of the largest populations of older adults in the nation, but we've received an allotment of just over 150,000 vaccine doses a week so far from the federal government, which provides all the vaccines the state receives. Still, we are making progress with more than 1.4 million Pennsylvanians receiving one or both of their vaccine doses to date."
While the admission of wanting better vaccine administration is one thing, Wolf also clarified that progress has still been made in Pennsylvania.
And strides are still being taken to improve the distribution.
On Tuesday, a tool called "Your Turn" was introduced to help create a digital queue of individuals who have signed up for the vaccine and had since been placed on a waiting list.
Done through the Department of Health website, the tool allows for notifications when it's someone's turn and how to proceed to a facility to actually receive the vaccine.
Conversely, appointments can still be made the old-school way at 1-877-724-3258.
Governor Wolf wasn't the only one to chime in with an up-to-the-minute, though.
Secretary of Aging Robert Torres also reported in to emphasize some of the challenges and why aging facilities have become godsends in the pandemic, especially since citizens age 65 and older are more prone to the virus.
"Since the first case of COVID-19 was announced, Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) have helped to ensure that the needs of older adults are being met," Secretary Torres said. "Now, AAAs and their community partners are responding to the call to help older adults navigate the COVID-19 vaccination process."
As mentioned earlier, the "AAAs" Torres outlined have been boons for senior citizens receiving vaccines.
The AAAs have offered around a half dozen benefits to expediting senior vaccine usage:
1. Coordinated with local health care providers, county government, and EMS
2. Provided guidance and supportAssisted with scheduling
3. Arranged transportation
4. Offered senior centers to serve as vaccine clinics
5. Participated in county COVID-19 planning commissions
Torres exalted the AAAs but highlighted a specific one that was especially noteworthy: the Butler County AAA.
"Butler County AAA has helped more than 1,200 older adults obtain vaccine appointments and is ensuring that forms are completed in the system for the older adult," Torres said. "The vaccine appointment no-show rate for these older adults is zero percent."
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