How to get in line for COVID-19 vaccine appointment

Now that we are in the second month of 2021, many Americans and, specifically many Pennsylvanians, are gearing up to receive one of the new COVID-19 vaccines. Chester County has been administering and intends to continue administering the Moderna vaccine.

As I listened to friends, some of whom live in or work in senior communities, several happily announced scheduled dates for their first vaccination. It is unlikely that any other vaccine administration has been greeted with so much joy and anticipation.

How to get in line to get vaccinated for the general public is a subject of interest. Here is information for Chester County. Residents of other counties and other states should have similar information available online. Also, this might not be the only way but it is one where information is generally available.

• You can preregister. The Chester County Health Department has available on its website an easy to use preregistration tool. Go to chesco.org/covidvaccine If you live in adjoining Delaware County, Chester County also carries the link for Delaware County at the same website address.

You will answer a few basic questions including do you live in or work in Chester County, your name, contact phone number and contact email address. You will be directed to check all the categories to which you belong in order to determine your priority. Other questions follow including your living arrangements and work categories.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health relatively recently broadened the definition for classification 1A and it is recommended if you previously preregistered but would not have qualified under the prior guidelines you should reregister.

The site indicates you should receive confirmation that your submission has been received and updates as conditions change.

Confirmation might not be received immediately. Check your spam folder if an email confirmation is not received after 24 hours.

• Know your Classification. Phase 1A now includes those 65 or older and those aged 16 to 64 with certain medical conditions including chronic kidney disease, COPD, Down’s syndrome, heart conditions such as coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies, immunocompromised states, obesity as defined and severe obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, smoking and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

• You will need to get both doses. Several notices have indicated that, with the exception of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is not enough to build immunity and you should prepare to receive a second dose. The form you will be given at the time includes space to indicate your date for a second dose which will be assigned after the first dose is received.

• You will still need to use precautions such as mask wearing and social distancing after receiving the vaccine. Questions have arisen whether you still will need to follow precautions such as mask wearing and social distancing after receiving the vaccine. The consistent answer has been that you do. There are several reasons for this including that it is unknown whether you would still be able to transmit the virus even after being vaccinated and another unknown is the length of time during which the immunity would last. It is generally accepted that full immunity does not kick in until a few weeks after the second dose. There is also the knowledge that others will not know whether or not you have received the vaccinations.

• Pennsylvania continues to have travel restrictions. Pennsylvania’s travel restrictions continue. Travelers entering Pennsylvania from other countries and other states and Pennsylvania residents returning home from another country or state must have a COVID-19 negative test within 72 hours prior to entering or must quarantine for 10 days on returning to Pennsylvania.

This is a reduction from the prior 14 day quarantine requirement. If the Pennsylvania resident tests negative on return, then the period of quarantine is the lesser of 10 days or receipt of the negative COVID test. There are exceptions including travel that begins and ends within less than 24 hours, travel through the state to another destination, travel for work, for medical purposes or military travel.

For more information check with the Pennsylvania Department of Health website.

Janet Colliton, Esq. is a Certified Elder Law Attorney and limits her practice to elder law, retirement and estate planning, Medicaid, Medicare, life care and special needs at 790 East Market St., Suite 250, West Chester, Pa., 19382, 610436-6674Call via Mitel , colliton@ collitonlaw.com. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and, with Jeffrey Jones, CSA, co-founder of Life Transition Services LLC, a service for families with long term care needs. Tune in on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. to radio WCHE 1520, “50+ Planning Ahead,” with Janet Colliton, Colliton Elder Law Associates, and Phil McFadden, Home Instead Senior Care.