TEENS 16 AND UP URGED TO GET VACCINATED

WEST CHESTER >> Chester County Health Department officials are urging teens age 16 and up to schedule a vaccine appointment.

As of Monday, all Pennsylvanians age 16 and older are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine due to new Centers for Disease Control guidance. It comes as the nation is reporting more than 68,000 new daily cases. More than half of the adult population in Chester County has already received at least one dose of the vaccine

Officials said opening the registration to all adults means vaccine providers no longer need to screen for eligibility, streamlining the process. Acting Sec. of Health Alison

Beam said opening registration increases the likelihood college students will be fully vaccinated before they return home for the summer.

So far, the state has administered more than 6 million vaccine doses.

Over the past week, the Chester County Health Department received a total of 21,550 vaccine doses, including 10,000 first and second doses of Moderna, 5,850 first and second doses of Pfizer and 5,700 doses of Johnson & Johnson, currently in a pause state. This pause is now scheduled to remain in place, according to a state Department of Health statewide order, until at least April 24.

Positive coronavirus case counts continue to climb in Chester County.

Last week, 910 people in Chester County tested positive for coronavirus, according to the Chester County Health Department. Four weeks ago, 640 tested positive.

And the percent positivity rate has reached 8.85 percent, up from 7.97 percent the week previous and 7.09 percent four weeks ago. Statewide percent positivity for the week of April 2 to April 8 is 9.5 percent.

Pennsylvania has administered first doses of vaccine to 41.3 percent of its eligible population, and the state ranks 10th among all 50 states for first doses administered by percentage of population.

Since the pandemic began, more than 33,700 people in Chester County have tested positive, and 756 have died.

Current hot spots are Kennett Square, with 10.3 percent of the population testing positive, Avondale, 9.7 percent, London Grove, 9 percent, West Grove, 9 percent, Oxford, 8.6 percent,

Coatesville, 8 percent, South Coatesville, 8 percent, Penn Township, 8 percent, Caln Township, 7.4 percent, and Lower Oxford, 7.2 percent.

In Chester County’s 75 long-term care facilities, more than 2,600 people have tested positive, and 452 people have died, most of whom were over age 80.

As of Monday, April 19, there are 2,577 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 in Pennsylvania.

Starting, April 19, the county will be holding vaccine clinics at the Government Services Center in West Chester, West Chester

University’s Sturzebecker Health Sciences Center, Jennersville YMCA, Kimberton Fire Company, and Brandywine YMCA in West Brandywine.

In addition, there are three clinics for seniors at the Phoenixville Senior Center, the Brandywine Valley Active Aging Center (formerly Coatesville Senior Center) and the Oxford Area Senior Center.

Chester County’s COVID-19 call center hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, call 610-344-6225.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Kenneth DeMarco, 62, gets his second shot of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19vaccine from CVS Pharmacist Gina Glancy during a clinic at The Watermark at Bellingham in East Goshen.

MEDIANEWS GROUP — DAILY TIMES CVS pharmacist Gianna Santangelo draws a single dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19vaccine during a clinic at The Watermark at Bellingham in East Goshen.

MEDIANEWS GROUP — DAILY TIMES CVS pharmacist Gina Glancy draws a single dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19vaccine during a clinic in East Goshen. Chester County officials are encouraging teens 16and older to get vaccinated.