Montco reports 288 new cases of COVID-19
NORRISTOWN >> As the 58th week of the coronavirus pandemic in Montgomery County came to a close on Friday, health officials reported 288 additional county residents tested positive for the virus, which was the highest number of daily positive tests reported during the last week.
The 288 daily new positive COVID-19 cases reported in the county on Friday brought the county’s total number of positive cases to 54,687 since March 7, 2020, when the first two cases of the virus were identified in the county. Four of the daily new cases were individuals who resided in long-term care facilities.
As the spring surge of the virus continued to grip the region, the county recorded 200 or more cases on four of the last seven days:
• April 10 – 252 cases
• April 11 – 207 cases
• April 12 – 161 cases
• April 13 – 255 cases
• April 14 – 194 cases
• April 15 – 191 cases
• April 16 – 288 cases
Officials reported no new COVID-19 deaths on Friday, leaving the county’s death toll at 1,275 since the pandemic began a year ago.
Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported on Friday that 144,068 county residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, receiving either the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine or both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Another 194,814 residents have received a first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, 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 can pre-register to receive the vaccine through the county Office of Public Health. The preregistration link can be found at www.montcopa.org/COVID-19 under the green vaccination information button.
Residents who don’t have internet access can call the county’s COVID-19 hotline at (833) 875-3967 to connect with a volunteer who can assist them in pre-registering for a vaccine.
The county previously opened five weekday vaccination clinics at the following locations: Norristown High School; the Montgomery County Community College campus in Whitpain; the Parkside Shopping Center, in the former Petco location, in Willow Grove; Trinity Lutheran Church, 1000 W. Main St., in Lansdale; and Bethel Community Church, 575 N. Keim St., in Pottstown.
Hours vary and no walk-up registration is accepted.
Bethel Community Church in Pottstown also will hold vaccine clinics each Saturday.
A sixth vaccination clinic will be available on Saturday, April 17 and every Saturday in May at Bethlehem Baptist Church, 712 Penllyn Pike in Spring House.
On Tuesday, county health officials had to pause the distribution of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, under federal and state directives, as they await the outcome of a review by the federal Centers for Disease Control of several reported incidents of rare blood clots that occurred in individuals in the U.S. within two weeks of receiving the J&J vaccine.
The county is currently distributing only the Pfizer vaccine.
Officials said COVID-19 testing is still available for all county residents and those who work in the county and want or need to be tested. The county established outdoor walk-up testing sites in Pottstown, Norristown, Lansdale, Willow Grove, Ardmore and Green Lane.
“We continue to have good availability of testing and I want to urge anyone who wants or needs to be tested to please get tested. This is one of our strongest tools to help keep this virus under control,” county Commissioners’ Chairwoman Dr. Valerie Arkoosh said at a news briefing this week.
For the 14-day period ending April 8, there were 41,941 county residents tested for the coronavirus – an increase of 1,137 people tested compared to the 14-day period ending April 1.
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. Sameday 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.