14 deaths brings Montco toll to 1,214
Vaccine rollout continues; positivity rate trending down
NORRISTOWN >> As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues in Montgomery County, officials reported on Wednesday that more than 100 individuals tested positive for the virus and more than a dozen additional people died from the virus.
The total 125 new positive COVID-19 cases recorded on Wednesday brought the county’s total number of positive cases to 46,321 since March 7, 2020, when the first two cases of the virus were identified in the county. Officials said two of the daily new cases were individuals who resided in long-term care facilities.
Officials also reported 14 more COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, bringing the county’s death toll to 1,214 since the virus surfaced in the county last March.
The overall 14-day COVID-19 positivity rate for the county, as of Feb. 18, was 6.12% which was a decrease from the 6.72% positivity rate recorded during the previous 14-day period ending Feb. 11, according to county data.
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 last date that the county was below the 5% threshold was last Nov. 4, according to county data.
County Commissioners’ Chairwoman Dr. Valerie Arkoosh noted that the county is currently averaging about 119 daily new positive cases of the virus.
“We are seeing steady declines in our numbers. While we are in a better place than we were six weeks ago, we’re by no means through this yet,” Arkoosh said during a Wednesday news briefing. “Indoor gatherings remain high risk and we still have a fair amount of virus in our community, not as much as we did a few weeks ago, but there’s still an awful lot out there.”
Arkoosh advised residents to continue with mitigation measures such as wearing masks and social distancing.
“But I’m optimistic. We’re vaccinating people every single day and the weather is going to become
warmer, which will allow people to go outside and we also know that the virus is a little less transmissible in warm, humid air,” said Arkoosh, who was joined at the news briefing by fellow Commissioner Kenneth Lawrence Jr.
“So everything is going in the right direction at this point and my hope is that these more contagious variants don’t take hold here in any substantive way and that we’re able to get enough people vaccinated and people are able to get outdoors soon enough that we’ll stay ahead of it,” added Arkoosh, referring to the four confirmed cases of the U.K. variant identified in the county two weeks ago.
On Wednesday, 154 individuals with COVID-19 were hospitalized in the county’s nine hospitals and 26 required ventilators. Comparatively, on Oct. 1, 2020, there were only 24 patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported on Wednesday that 33,706 county residents had received the full two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines during the ongoing Phase 1A of the state’s vaccine distribution program. Another 76,926 county residents had received the first dose of the vaccine, according to state data.
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses to achieve optimum protection.
Appointments are required to receive the vaccine. All those eligible for the vaccine in Phase 1A can pre-register to receive the vaccine through the county health department. The pre-registration link can be found at www.montcopa.org/COVID-19 under the green vaccination information button.
Residents who do not have access to the internet can call the county’s COVID-19 hotline at (833) 8753967 to connect with a volunteer who can assist them in pre-registering for a vaccine
As of Wednesday, 172,046 county residents are preregistered for a vaccine.
“At this time, and depending upon when you registered, it may take up to 12 weeks before you hear back from us about scheduling an appointment,” said Arkoosh, emphasizing that the supply of vaccine is limited.
The Montgomery County Office of Public Health currently is operating a vaccination clinic at Norristown High School to serve those who have appointments to receive their first dose of the vaccine.
Those receiving their second dose of the vaccine currently are being served at a clinic hosted by the Montgomery County Community College campus in Whitpain.
“Next week will be a transition week as we begin to offer second doses at Norristown High School and go back to Montgomery County Community College for first doses. So please pay close attention to the location to which you are directed,” Arkoosh addressed county residents.
Arkoosh said beginning next week the county Department of Public Safety will take vaccine to “our most vulnerable elderly residents who would not otherwise be able to come to a mass vaccination site.”
“We’re starting with a list of affordable housing for seniors that exists within Montgomery County. There are about 30 of those, representing a little over 3,000 housing units. Many of these individuals don’t have good transportation or have other barriers of getting to a mass vaccination site. So that’s where we’re going to start,” Arkoosh explained.
“We’ll be going to those locations with the vaccine. People will have to be registered just like anybody else and they’ll need to be in the 1A category and we will administer the vaccine there,” Arkoosh added.
County officials added testing is still available for all county residents and those who work in the county and want or need to be tested. The county has established outdoor walkup testing sites in Pottstown, Norristown, Lansdale, Willow Grove, Ardmore and Green Lane to accommodate those who want to be tested.
The six county-run sites provide self-administered tests at no cost, although insurance will be billed if you have it. The sites do require an appointment for testing.
The six sites are open Monday through Friday, weather permitting and at varying hours. Same-day appointments can be made weekdays starting at 7 a.m. by visiting www.montcopa.org/COVID-19 and clicking on the county testing information button. Residents can also register for a test at any of the six sites by calling 610-970-2937 beginning at 8:30 a.m. daily.
In Pottstown, the testing site is located at the county’s Office of Public Health Pottstown Health Center at 364 King St.
In Norristown, a testing site is located on the parking lot of the Delaware Valley Community Health Norristown Regional Health Center at 1401 DeKalb St.
In Lansdale, a testing site is located at 421 Main St. Another testing site is located at Deep Creek and Snyder roads in the Green Lane Park area.
In Ardmore, a testing site is located at 114 W. Lancaster Ave. In Willow Grove, a testing site is at First Baptist Church - Crestmont, 1678 Fairview Ave.