Individuals 75 years and older, indispensable employees to be vaccinated “quickly” – CBS Pittsburgh

HARRISBURG, PA (AP / KDKA) – Pennsylvania will soon begin vaccinating people age 75 and older and “key workers” such as police officers, grocery store clerks and teachers, the state health secretary said Monday.

The state continues to focus on delivering the COVID-19 vaccine to healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities – a group of around 1 million – but plans to move on to the next stage of its vaccination schedule, Dr. Rachel, Levine said at a press conference.

She wasn’t specific about the timing but said the second group, called 1B, will be eligible to receive the vaccine before everyone in the first group is vaccinated.

“We are working to ensure that anyone who wants access to a COVID-19 vaccine can get it,” Levine said.

The state released a revised vaccination schedule on Friday, which is available on the Department of Health’s website.

Phase 1B of the state’s coronavirus vaccination schedule includes people age 75 and older, as well as key frontline workers, a large and diverse group that includes clergymen. First responder; Jailer; School staff; and grocery, manufacturing, mail, public transportation, and grocery store workers.

To date, the federal Pennsylvania government has allocated more than 827,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. More than 285,000 shots were fired, though Levine said the real number is sure to be higher as reporting from hospitals and pharmacies is delayed by one to three days.

Some providers already vaccinate people in the second group if they don’t have someone in the first group willing to receive it. Levine said that was fine.

“We don’t want a vaccine to be wasted,” she said.

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