126614207_web1_IMG_1609

TL publisher finishes out vaccine program, encourages public to get the shot

126605217_web1_CASEY-BIDEN-2

Casey says infrastructure bill next challenge facing Biden and Congress

HANOVER TWP. — Scheduling of vaccinations at the Hanover Area High School was not handled by the Department of Health, Communications Director Barry Ciccocioppo said in an online media conference Wednesday.

Rather, he explained, it was arranged by the federal government working directly with Walmart, and Walmart had contacted the Department of Aging for assistance in scheduling people for the shots.

That move, in turn, was made because Walmart is operating through the federal “Retail Pharmacy Partnership” to connect Pennsylvania seniors enrolled in the state’s PACE program with vaccine providers like Walmart. The program is intended “to ensure more older Pennsylvanians, including those without internet access, have continued access to vaccine providers nearest them,” Deputy Press Secretary Maggi Barton said in an email.

“These individuals, who represent some of the most vulnerable older adults in need, were pre-enrolled for the vaccine and were notified when these appointments became available,” Barton said.

Frustration and surprise over the pre-booking at the site prompted both Hanover Area Superintendent Nathan Barrett and State Sen. John Yudichak to send letters Tuesday to the state Department of Health and Walmart seeking an explanation and criticizing the state’s vaccine allocation system.

While the Department of Health was not involved, Ciccocioppo offered a broader reason why so many people are still having a hard time scheduling vaccinations: Demand is far-outstripping supply, even though the number of vaccine shots available — allocated to the state weekly by the federal government — is generally increasing.

“We do understand the person on the phone or on the computer trying to make an appointment,” he said, “it’s frustrating. That’s why we created the ‘Your Turn’ tool. You can put your info in online so we can contact you whenever there are vaccination opportunities in your area.”

The Your Turn tool is available on the state website, <a href="https://www.pa.gov/guides/get-vaccinated/#Step1ChecktoSeeifYoureEligible" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.pa.gov</a>

Ciccocioppo did not know how many people initially vaccinated at the Hanover Area site were from Luzerne County. The Department of Aging did not respond to a phone call and email Wednesday afternoon.

He did explain how vaccine distribution is allocated by the state to each county: The number of available vaccines is decided by looking at the the county’s total population (making up 20% of the final decision), the percentage of people over 65 (30%), the number of COVID-19 cases (20%) and the virus deaths in the county (30%). “That’s how we try to make sure the vaccines are getting out fairly and equitably.”

According to the state Department of Health vaccination “dashboard” Wednesday, Luzerne County had 25,902 people partially vaccinated with a single shot of the two-shot vaccines, and 38,402 fully vaccinated with both shots. That’s 64,304 residents all or partly protected by the vaccines, or about 20% of the county’s total population.

By comparison, state-wide a bit more than 3.1 million people have been all or partially vaccinated, about 24% of the state population.

Pa. Department of Health says Hanover Area vaccine site was set up by feds, Walmart