Officials urge patience with the vaccine rollout and caution over the improving case numbers.
January 28, 2021
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
There’s a mixed bag of messages from Allegheny County officials on the state of COVID-19 infections and the plans to distribute the vaccine that will end the virus’ spread.
On the positive side, cases in Allegheny County, like most of the country, are dropping. But new variants of the virus could flip that trend.
“As encouraged as I am by the numbers, I am still cautious,” says Dr. Debra Bogen, director of the county health department. “We’ve all heard the news about the new variants of the virus, and the health department is watching closely for signs that they might be present in Allegheny County. If these variants become the dominant strain in our region, it could undo all of the hard work we’ve done to bring case counts down.”