State’s vaccine providers received a record 512,000 doses this week

A week after storms disrupted deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines from both Moderna and Pfizer, a record 512,380 first and second doses were checked in this week by 471 hospitals, health agencies and pharmacies in 66 Pennsylvania counties.

The numbers don’t include Philadelphia, which is a separate jurisdiction under the U.S. Centers for Disease Control vaccine distribution program. The total delivered since Feb. 15 was 566,280 doses, including about 38,000 shipped directly to pharmacies under a new program designed to reach more neighborhood and rural providers.

Vaccination providers managed to jab nearly a half-million arms over the two weeks, accounting for 81% of the delivered vaccines being used so far. The reporting period goes from Monday through Sunday, so there are three days remaining in the current period to use the remaining 19% of vaccine doses.

The data is published weekly by the state Health Department, but does not distinguish between deliveries designated as first doses or second. In a virtual meeting last week, spokesman Barry Ciccocioppo acknowledged that it might have contributed to some of the confusion that caused an undisclosed number of providers to use shipments intended for second doses as first doses. That led to the postponement of thousands of second-dose appointments, frustrating patients, providers and state legislators.

Since the first vaccines were delivered to the state the week of Dec. 14, more than 2.5 million vaccinations have been administered to 1.77 million Pennsylvanians, including in Philadelphia. Almost 17% of the state’s 16-and-over population have received at least one dose. More than 743,000 people are fully immunized against COVID19.

The Lehigh Valley has 21% of its eligible population at least partially immunized, with 172,000 shots going into 115,000 local arms so far. About 57,000 Valley residents are fully immunized, and another 58,000 have received their initial dose.

Cases

The Health Department reported 3,346 additional coronavirus cases on Friday. The seven-day moving average of newly reported cases was 2,509, down 14% from 2,931 a week ago, continuing a three-week decline.

To date, there have been 926,336 infections statewide since the start of the pandemic.

Deaths

Overall: 69 compared with 81 on Thursday. The seven-day average of daily deaths remains at 65, down almost 68% over the last month.

Senior Care: 16 compared with 17 on Thursday. That brings the total to 12,371, accounting for 51.7% of the state’s 23,937 deaths.

Hospitalizations

There were 1,897 people hospitalized as of midday Friday, compared with 1,962 Thursday. Of those, 218 were on ventilators, and 403 were in intensive care beds.

Hospitals in the Lehigh Valley reported 160 COVID patients as of midday, with 24 in intensive care beds and 17 on ventilators.

Testing

There were 14,211 test results reported Friday, with 19.2% of them positive, compared with 17.9% on Thursday.

The overall positive test rate is 17.1% since the state’s first cases were reported March 6.

Lehigh Valley

Cases: 231 additional case reports, with 118 in Lehigh County and 113 in Northampton County. That brings the total to 57,261.

Deaths: Seven new deaths (three in Lehigh County, and four in Northampton County), compared with five the day before. That brings the total to 1,401.