Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Chesco excels in giving vaccines
Chester County is the most vaccinated county in Pennsylvania, and the numbers prove it.
Two out of three people living in Chester County have received at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Chester County Health Department, which outpaces any other county in the state.
Last week, positive case counts decreased dramatically compared to previous weeks. According to the Chester County Health Department, 603 people in Chester County tested positive for coronavirus last week, compared to 791 the previous week and 924 the week previous to that.
Neighboring Delaware County is experiencing the same trend, from 750 testing positive last week and 1,158 the week before that.
In Chester County, 6.19 percent of the population has tested positive for the virus, a drop from 7.22 the week previous.
To date, more than 34,402 people in Chester County have tested positive for coronavirus, and 769 people have died.
Deaths from the virus have dropped off significantly since its peak in December.
Fourteen people in Chester County died of the virus in April, according to data from the Chester County Health Department.
Current hot spots are Kennett Square, with 10.6 percent of the population testing positive, Avondale, 9.7 percent, New London Township, 9.2 percent, Oxford, 9.1 percent, West Grove, 9.1 percent, South Coatesville, 8.8 percent, Atglen, 8.8 percent, Coatesville, 8.6 percent, Penn Township, 8.4 percent, and Valley Township, 8.1 percent.
East Goshen has recorded the most coronavirus deaths, with 64, followed by Willistown with 57, East Vincent, 40, West Chester, 36, Honey Brook, 35, Caln, 34, East Bradford, 32, Oxford, 30, and Phoenixville, 30.
In Chester County’s 75 long-term care facilities, 2,649 people have tested positive, and 456 have died, the majority of whom were over the age of 80.
The Chester County Health Department hosted two walk-in clinics over the weekend at Exton Square Mall and Longwood Gardens, which were successful.
Appointments are now available for everyone in Phases 1A, 1B, 1C and Phase 2. The Chester County Health Department COVID-19 call center number is 610-3446225 and is staffed Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
More than 132,000 people in Chester County have received the first dose of the vaccine, and more than 145,000 are fully vaccinated. Just last week, LCH in Kennett Square administered its 7,000 dose of the vaccine.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reports there were 1,728 additional positive cases of COVID-19, in addition to 2,653 new cases reported Sunday, May 2, for a twoday total of 4,381 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1.1 million
There are 2,161 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 479 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older.
The trend in the 14-day moving average number of hospitalized patients per day is starting to come down, after peaking at 2,661 patients which is slightly below what it was at the height of the spring 2020 peak of 2,751 patients on May 3, 2020.
According to the CDC, as of Monday morning, May 3, Pennsylvania has administered first doses of vaccine to 50.3 percent of its entire population, and the state ranks 10th among all 50 states for first doses administered by percentage of population. Pennsylvania ranks fifth among all 50 states for total doses administered.
Vaccine providers have administered 8.6 million total vaccine doses as of Monday, May 3. More than 5.3 million people have received at least their first dose.
Statewide percent positivity for the week of April 23 to April 29 stood at 7.6 percent.