How the state will track vaccinations

Distribution of the COVID-19 vaccination is underway around the country, leading to many questions about when the general public will be able to receive it and how it will be regulated.

How does Pennsylvania track vaccines?

Information regarding the administration of any vaccine including measles and mumps must go through the state’s immunization system, PA-SIIS, Department of Health spokesman Nate Wardle said in an email statement.

That will be the same for the coronavirus vaccine. As of Dec. 14, Dr. Rachel Levine, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health, signed a standing order that requires administrators of the COVID-19 vaccine to provide information on who has been vaccinated. The information has to be sent to the Department of Health within 24 hours of administering the vaccine, Wardle said.

This allows the state to properly track who has taken the vaccine and ensure those who may need a second dose receive it.

Who will be the first to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

According to the Department of Health’s website, the first population of residents who will be offered the vaccine will be health care workers, nursing home workers and residents, and other facilities such as retirement homes and assisted living quarters.

How will the vaccine be distributed?

Dr. Walter Tsou, executive director of Physicians for Social Responsibility, Pennsylvania, said proper distribution of the vaccine is important for marginalized communities that have been disproportionately affected by the virus.

“They (African-Americans and Latinos) definitely need to be a high priority for the immunizations,” said Tsou, “and the way the immunizations are being distributed is actually based on occupation at this point.”

The organization promotes social responsibility by protecting health, the environment and communities through education, training, direct service and advocacy.

The highest risk occupations are health care and frontline workers, many of whom are Black and Latino and will be some of the first to get the vaccine, Tsou said.

From there, it will be nursing home aides and residents, including other public service jobs, he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased spread of misinformation on the vaccine and safety precautions, but Tsou is hopeful the public has realized the seriousness of the disease.

“There is nothing that can shut down an entire country quite like an infectious disease,” Thou said. “Even in the most conservative states, people are starting to realize this.”

Will the COVID-19 vaccine be mandatory?

There has been a continuous debate on whether the COVID-19 vaccination should be mandatory, with many health officials believing it should be.

But, according to Wardle, the COVID-19 vaccine will not be required.

Other vaccinations, such as the MMR and polio, are required unless someone has a medical exemption, a religious exemption, or a philosophical exemption in Pennsylvania.

For more information on Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 vaccination guidelines, check the Department of Health website.