Positivity rates remain elevated across region
HARRISBURG >> The coronavirus positivity rate remained elevated in all seven Southeast Pennsylvania counties, including Montgomery County where it increased slightly from the previous week, according to the latest weekto-week data compiled by state health officials.
Montgomery County recorded a coronavirus positivity rate of 8.5% for the period April 2 to April 8, which was a slight increase from the 8.1% positivity rate recorded for the period March 26 to April 1, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard.
Health officials believe having a positivity rate less than 5% indicates a county is controlling the spread of the virus and keeping it suppressed.
The county recorded the first two cases of the virus on March 7, 2020, and this week marks the 58th week since the virus surfaced in the county.
Neighboring Berks County recorded the highest COVID-19 positivity rate in the region, 12.7% for the seven-day period ending April 8, but it was a decrease from the 14.2% positivity rate recorded the previous week.
All of Montgomery County’s other neighboring counties were above the preferred 5% threshold and recorded the following COVID-19 positivity rates for the period ending April 8: Lehigh (11.5%); Bucks (10.7%); Philadelphia (9.1%); Delaware (8.1%); and Chester (8.0%), according to the latest state data.
The entire state has experienced a surge in the COVID-19 positivity rate in recent weeks.
The statewide positivity rate as of April 8 was 9.5% which was an increase from the 9.3% positivity rate recorded the previous week and the 7.7% positivity rate two weeks ago, according to state data.
Gov. Tom Wolf said the state’s COVID-19 dashboard is designed to provide early warning signs of factors that affect the state’s mitigation efforts.
On Monday, Wolf and the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force announced that effective Tuesday, all Pennsylvania adults will be eligible to schedule an appointment for the COVID -19 vaccine.
“We need to maintain acceleration of the vaccine rollout, especially as case counts and hospitalization rates have increased,” Wolf said. “Therefore, just as President Biden has brought forward universal adult access to vaccines from May 1 to April 19, we are moving Pennsylvania’s timeline of universal adult access to April 13.”
State Department of Health officials noted that there is ongoing appointment availability in many parts of the state even as Phase 1A and 1B continue and 1C began on Monday. With the change in eligibility, those in Phase 2 will become eligible, opening up vaccines to all.
State and local officials urged citizens to continue to abide by COVID-19 mitigation measures regarding the wearing of masks and social distancing, downloading the COVID Alert PA app, and getting vaccinated when it’s their turn.
COVID Alert PA is a free mobile app, offered by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, that uses Bluetooth low energy technology and the Exposure Notification System, created jointly by Google and Apple, to notify and give public health guidance to anyone who may have been in close contact with a person who also has the app and has tested positive for COVID-19.