All Pennsylvanians Will Be Eligible For COVID-19 Vaccine By April 19
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
HARRISBURG (KDKA) - All Pennsylvanians will be eligible to schedule COVID-19 vaccination appointments beginning April 19.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force announced a special initiative to vaccinate targeted industry workers and to speed up the timeline for moving out of Phase 1A on Wednesday.
Starting Wednesday, frontline workers in law enforcement, firefighters, grocery store workers and food and agriculture workers will be targeted for vaccines.
On April 5, the state will move onto residents in Phase 1B. By April 12, all residents in Phase 1C will be able to get appointments. Finally, by April 19, those not yet vaccinated can get appointments.
According to the state's website, Phase 1B includes people in congregant settings and other frontline workers. Following 1B is 1C, which includes essential workers in certain sectors. Phase 2 is for everyone else who hasn't yet been vaccinated.
"It is important to remember that eligibility does not guarantee an immediate vaccination appointment," Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam said. "Vaccine providers are ready and eager to get a shot in the arm of every person who wants one while we continue to aggressively advocate for more vaccine."
She says the state is giving the providers predictability by giving them a minimum number of doses they will receive to be able to give out appointments weeks in advance with no worry of not getting those doses.
The state has yet to go beyond Phase 1A -- which includes long-term care facility residents, health care workers, anyone over 65 and those 16 to 64 with high-risk conditions -- though the state has vaccinated teachers with the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
It comes after President Joe Biden announced 90% of American adults will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by April 19.
Gov. Tom Wolf had said that everyone in 1A who wants a vaccine would be able to get a first appointment by the end of March. Wolf said Tuesday that the state is on pace to get a shot in the arm of every Pennsylvanian who wants one by the end of April.
"My back of the envelope, Excel spreadsheet calculation is by the end of April, early May, we should at that point have enough vaccines to come through the system to satisfy everyone who at least wants the first vaccine," he said.
People can use the state's vaccine provider map to figure out where they can get a shot.
