Demand for COVID-19 vaccine falls in Pennsylvania as state passes 9 million doses

More than half of Pennsylvania’s population has received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday, even as demand falls across the state.

The CDC said the state has given first doses to 51.6% of its entire population, which ranks 10th in the country.

Pennsylvania has also fully vaccinated 43.4% of residents 18 and older and ranks fifth among the states for total doses administered.

The daily average number of people receiving vaccinations has fallen to 79,000 from 92,100 last Friday.

Statewide (not including Philadelphia and federal facilities), 9.04 million vaccine doses have been given to 5.58 million people.

Where can I get a vaccine in Centre County?

Vaccines are being administered at several locations in the area to anyone 16 and older.

• Mount Nittany Health is accepting appointments. The health system has given or scheduled more than 42,000 doses as of Friday.
• Centre Volunteers in Medicine has two first-dose clinics scheduled for next week.
• The regional clinic at the Bryce Jordan Center will offer the first dose of the Moderna vaccine and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine through Monday. Starting Thursday, only the second Moderna dose and J&J will be available.
• To find other providers, visit Vaccines.gov.

Centre County cases

Since last Friday, Centre County has reported a total of 199 new cases. Daily totals during the past week ranged from a low of 10 on Monday to a high of 40 on Wednesday.

Overall, there have been 16,524 cases — 15,068 confirmed and 1,456 probable.

The Health Department reported no new deaths, which leaves the county’s total at 220.

Pennsylvania cases

During the past seven days, the statewide case total has grown by 18,673. One-day totals during that period reached a high of 3,133 on Tuesday and a low of 2,476 on Thursday.

Not all of these cases are new, though. The Health Department noted Friday that a lab is still sorting out backlogged testing data and another lab just submitted more than a hundred results from more than a month ago.

There have been a total of 1,169,678 cases and 4,449,653 negative tests.

Since last Friday, there have been 276 deaths statewide to bring the total to 26,494.

Hospitalizations

Mount Nittany Medical Center is treating 16 COVID-19 patients between the ages of 48 and 93, a spokesperson said Friday. That’s three fewer patients than last Friday. This week, there have been 17 COVID-related admissions and a daily average of 19 COVID patients, Tiffany Cabibbo, Mount Nittany Health executive vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer, said in a weekly update.

“As we continue to remind everyone, it is essential that continue to work to consistently practice safety measures including masking, frequent hand washing and social distancing,” Cabibbo said. “Please help us by doing your part.”

Across Pennsylvania, hospitalizations are at their lowest level in five weeks. The daily average of patients is decreasing after peaking just short of the high set last May.

What else happened this week?

• Penn State football coach James Franklin and Gov. Tom Wolf called on Pennsylvanians to get vaccinated.
• The walk-in COVID-19 testing site in Centre County reopened at a new location, the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority Interpretive Center.

This story was originally published May 7, 2021 at 2:31 PM.