All Pennsylvania adults will be eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment as of Tuesday as the state accelerates the vaccine rollout once again, Gov. Tom Wolf announced on Monday.
Universal adult eligibility in Pennsylvania previously was scheduled to begin on April 19. As of Monday, phases 1A, 1B and 1C of the state’s distribution eligibility are eligible.
“We need to maintain acceleration of the vaccine rollout, especially as case counts and hospitalization rates have increased,” Wolf said in a statement. “Therefore, just as President Biden has brought forward universal adult access to vaccines from May 1 to April 19, we are moving Pennsylvania’s timeline of universal adult access to April 13.”
Department of Health officials said the faster timeline for universal adult eligibility comes as there is “ongoing appointment availability in many parts of the state even as Phase 1A and B continue and 1C begins today.”
Phase 1C, which became eligible Monday, includes essential workers in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater, food service, housing construction, finance (including bank tellers), information technology, communications, energy, legal services, government and media.
Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said the change provides earlier access for many, including giving college students increased likelihood of completing required two-dose regimens before leaving campus for the summer.
“It also means simpler, streamlined operations for vaccine providers that no longer need to check eligibility of people making appointments,” Beam said.
More than 6 million vaccines have been administered so far in Pennsylvania, and more than 2.4 million residents are fully vaccinated.
According to Department of Health data, 36,615 people in Centre County are fully vaccinated and 19,879 have received one dose of the Pfizer of Moderna vaccines.
Vaccine appointment waitlists are available in Centre County through the state-run regional clinic at the Bryce Jordan Center, Mount Nittany Health, Centre Volunteers in Medicine, Boalsburg Apothecary and Moshannon Valley Pharmacy. Appointments also are available through providers listed on the Department of Health COVID-19 vaccine website.
