“This order requires vaccine providers to use all reasonable efforts to meet this goal by the end of the month," Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said.
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Clockwise from left, Diana Montoya-Williams, Jose Torradas, Brunilda Cookie Sanchez, Natalia Ortiz, and Melissa Pluguez-Moldavskiy are members of Unidos Contra Covid. (Screenshot via Zoom)
Inspired by the success of the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, a group of Latino physicians and nurses is applying for city funding to provide vaccine access for Philadelphia’s significantly undervaccinated Latino communities.
Dubbing itself Unidos Contra COVID (United Against COVID), the group is among the organizations that has submitted an application in response to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s request for proposals for vaccine providers. They applied in early March and are awaiting a response any day. The group said it would aim to get vaccines to both Black and Latino Philadelphians.
Philly’s vaccine clinics now taking walk-ins
Philadelphia’s four city-run vaccination clinics are now allowing walk-ins, Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley announced Monday.
To be eligible, a vaccine seeker must fall in Philadelphia’s 1A or 1B category, and live in the clinic’s neighborhood. The city began allowing walk-ins this weekend, Farley said, after noticing that some of its appointment slots were going unclaimed.
A resident of Philadelphia’s Nicetown neighborhood receives the COVID-19 vaccine at Simon Gratz High School Mastery Charter at a mass community vaccination site on March 15, 2021. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
“This is removing one additional barrier for people to get vaccinated,” Farley said at a press conference for the launch of a new vaccine clinic at Simon Gratz High School Mastery Charter in the Nicetown-Tioga neighborhood. “Setting up an appointment and making that appointment is not necessarily easy if you have a lot of other stresses on your
COVID-19 vaccination eligibility expands in Philadelphia and New Jersey
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PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia officials announced Wednesday that it is expanding its vaccine eligibility to residents 65 years and older.
The Philadelphia Vaccine Advisory Committee recommended the change to the Philadelphia Phase 1b eligibility criteria. Previously, eligibility by age criteria for Philadelphia Phase 1b was only those who were 75 years or older.
This change is possible because of the increased number of vaccine doses coming into the city, officials said.
The change brings the city s vaccine distribution program into line with the surrounding counties and states. It is effective immediately.
Those who are aged 65 or older are encouraged to register on the City s Vaccine Interest form or by dialing 3-1-1. All of the COVID-19 vaccine clinics in Philadelphia are by appointment only.