Gene J. Puskar | Associated Press
Syringes loaded with Moderna vaccine, during a clinic hosted by University of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Health Department at Petersen Events Center, Jan. 28.
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A shipment of 7,000 doses of the Moderna covid-19 vaccine will smooth out some of the bumps Allegheny County-run vaccine clinics expected this week, but officials said some people will still see their second-dose appointment pushed beyond four weeks.
The announcement on Monday by the Allegheny County Health Department affects only people who received their first dose of the vaccine from a county-run point of dispensing.
It was 19 degrees, but Ed Christofano had his GMC Acadia in four-wheel drive, climbing the snow-covered roads through the Allegheny Mountains. Also in his car was a cooler, and inside that was precious cargo: three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. “It’s just par for the course,” said Christofano, owner
Sarah Boden / 90.5 WESA
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has order providers to administer 80% of first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine they receive within seven days. The directive comes after criticism of Pennsylvania’s slow vaccination rate.
Because providers get little advance notice as to how much vaccine they’ll receive week-to-week, health and science reporter Sarah Boden reports that Alexandria Lavella of Hilltop Pharmacy says the state’s mandate is a heavy lift. For example, she could plan a Sunday clinic to administer 1,000 doses, but it’s possible she might only receive enough vaccine for 200 people.
“Did you want me to schedule 1,000 people or schedule 200 people, and then play judge and juror, and drop 800 people?” Lavella said. “Or did you want me to not schedule?”
Vaccine experts say eligibility rules will become obstacle to getting the most shots into the most arms mcall.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mcall.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review
Morgan Ungerleider, a pharmacy intern with Primary Care Pharmacy, readies a dose of the Moderna covid-19 vaccine at Chartiers Valley High School, which received 120 doses for faculty and staff, on Friday, Feb. 5, 2021. Across Western Pennsylvania, vaccine supply continues to be a problem. The Allegheny County Health Department says it will have to delay second dose appointments scheduled for the week of Feb. 22, 2021.
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Thousands of people expecting to get their second covid-19 vaccine doses as soon as next week learned Friday the Allegheny County Health Department does not have enough supply for most of them.