Wolf: Phase 1A near finish
Immunizations rise, but fight looms over ‘vaccine passports’
HARRISBURG — As Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said Pennsylvania was nearly done with Phase 1A of its COVID19 vaccine rollout, the potential for a scrap with legislative Republicans over a so-called “vaccine passport” appeared to grow.
Wolf spoke of both issues Tuesday, when his administration also put out recommendations on reduced social distancing in schools and shortened closure times after COVID-19 outbreaks.
“We are making some good progress,” Wolf said of the vaccine rollout.
Beforehand, Republican House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff said he hoped Wolf would not support proof-of-vaccination digital documents, known as “vaccine passports.” One version of them already was introduced in New York.
Benninghoff called them “ill-conceived” and said they were “an opening to unfathomable government intrusion into people’s personal lives, particularly their private medical information.”
Asked for his opinion, Wolf at first was noncommittal. Then, he issued a qualified endorsement.
“I don’t really have a position on passports,” he said. “You know, you used to have to have one when you traveled overseas. It was part of your passport. It was a yellow card that showed what immuniza
tions you’d had. So I’m not sure. I would think that that would be a fairly easy thing to do.”
When a reporter asked a follow-up question, Wolf said, “Yeah, if that were something that seemed to come from the General Assembly, yeah, I would support that.”
Democratic state Rep. Peter Schweyer of Allentown called the issue a “ginned-up” controversy triggered by national Republicans. Schweyer, who said he had no position on the concept, said he has heard no mention of the issue at legislative meetings and hasn’t seen any bills introduced.
“I don’t know if it’s a real issue or not,” Schweyer said. “It seems like a talking point that Republicans across the nation are latching onto.”
First-term Republican state Rep. Tracy Pennycuick of Montgomery County said it was “completely inappropriate” to even consider the passport idea.
It would, she said, lead to discrimination against those who could not or would not get shots.
Phase 1A conclusion
Wolf estimated the state was “more than three-quarters of the way through” the phase 1A population, which covers more than 4 million people, including health care workers, long-term care residents, everyone ages 65 and older, and younger people with serious medical conditions.
He said scheduling of COVID19 vaccine shots for all phase 1A recipients who want them likely would be completed by Wednesday.
Pennycuick said she did not know where Wolf got his information.
“I still have people who can’t get an appointment,” Pennycuick said. “They are 1A. Oftentimes, they are seniors with multiple medical conditions.”
Wolf also said the state’s special initiative to vaccinate all teachers, education and child care workers who wanted to take part should conclude soon, with all shots in arms by mid-April.
May 1 goal
Earlier this month, President Joe Biden pledged to make all adults eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, and Wolf said his administration has that date in mind.
“We are talking about that now,” Wolf said. “How we want to move through, beyond where we are right now, and how quickly we can do it.”
The state’s current vaccine rollout plan had two other other phases, 1B and 1C, coming after 1A and before availability to the general adult population.
Wolf said Biden’s move to open things up to all adults is in line with his own inclinations.
“The goal is to get the vaccines to as many people as quickly and fairly as possible,” he said. “That’s always been the goal and it remains the goal. So the sooner we can get to that point where everybody is eligible, the happier I will be.”
New school guidance
The Wolf administration said it reduced recommended safe distances between students in many schools, in line with updated guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The new state recommendations take effect April 5 and are contingent upon students wearing masks.
The revised distancing recommendations are not the same for all school levels. A joint announcement from the Department of Health and Department of Education said:
Students in elementary schools should remain at least three feet apart.
Students in middle and high schools should be at least 3 feet apart in counties with low and moderate community transmission of COVID-19. In counties with substantial transmission, these students should be 6 feet apart, if forming distinct groups of students that stay together all day is not possible.
Six feet of distance should be maintained between adults in all school buildings, and between adults and students; when masks cannot be worn; during increased-exhalation activities like singing, band or sports; and in common areas such as school lobbies and auditoriums.
Meanwhile, the administration also changed its recommendations on how schools should react to confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The new recommendations take into account local virus transmission levels, numbers of cases and the size of the school building. They take into account local virus spread levels, numbers of cases among students and staff, and size of the school building.
For example, in one scenario the recommended closure period — which allows for cleaning and notifications about quarantines — will be reduced to 1-2 days from 3-7 days.
Full details are available on the state website.