COVID-19 In Pennsylvania: Gov. Tom Wolf Signs Bill To Deploy National Guard For Vaccine Distribution

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

HARRISBURG (KDKA) - Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill Wednesday that will deploy the National Guard to help with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

"This bill will support the National Guard and other state agencies in the planning process for community vaccination clinics once supply of COVID-19 vaccines increases," Gov. Wolf said in a press release. "This service will help further expedite getting vaccine to Pennsylvanians across the state."

The bill was authored by Washington County Rep. Tim O'Neal. He says it requires the National Guard to work with the Department of Health and PEMA to develop plans to create and operate vaccine sites across the state within 45 days.

"The quick timeline of this bill from introduction to becoming law is testament to acknowledgement by all parties that we must do better at getting shots in arms, and the National Guard has the expertise in logistics to accomplish this mission," said O'Neal.

He says he's confident the state is now in a better position to vaccinate residents more quickly and in a more orderly fashion.