Vaccine Updates - 4/28/2021

Regional Vaccination Clinic in Centre County to Resume Scheduled Operations Thursday

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and Department of Health (DOH) today announced that the Regional Vaccination Clinic (RVC) at the Bryce Jordan Center on Penn State’s University Park campus in Centre County will resume operations as scheduled on Thursday, April 29, offering both the two-dose Moderna vaccine and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine.

“Our goal is to make it as convenient as possible for anyone who wants to get vaccinated by offering both Moderna and J&J and not requiring an appointment,” said PEMA Director Randy Padfield. “I would encourage anyone in Centre County and the surrounding area to take advantage of this opportunity to make an appointment, or walk in to get their vaccine.”

“Both the Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines being offered at the Bryce Jordan Center are safe and effective against the COVID-19 virus,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. “The safety procedures built into the vaccination process are working and should instill confidence in these vaccines. Getting vaccinated is the best way forward to protect you, your loved ones and neighbors from the virus and get back to your life and the things you may have missed over this past year.”

Starting April 29, those who go to the RVC will be able to choose between either the two-dose Moderna vaccine and the single-dose J&J vaccine. Anyone who wants a COVID-19 vaccine can make an appointment online or by calling 1-844-545-3450. While appointments are encouraged, walk-ins are also welcome. The clinic is open to everyone, regardless of county of residence.

Dates and hours of operation at the RVC are as follows:

• Thursday, April 29: 12:00 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Friday, April 30: 12:00 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Saturday, May 1: 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday, May 2: 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Monday, May 3: 12:00 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Pennsylvania National Guard (PANG) and AMI Expeditionary Healthcare, LLC, a health organization contracted by PEMA for planning and staffing assistance at commonwealth-established vaccine sites, continue to direct operations and administer doses at the site. 

Vaccine Updates - 4/15/2021

The Department of Health (DOH) in conjunction with the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force today announced the start of the special initiative to vaccinate targeted industry workers and to accelerate the vaccination timetable for those in Phases 1B, 1C, and 2. All Pennsylvanians will be eligible to schedule vaccination appointments beginning April 19.

Pennsylvania Accelerating Vaccine Strategy

Learn more about what each phase means

CDC Updated Guidance: When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated–How to Protect Yourself and Others

Have You Been Fully Vaccinated?

People are considered fully vaccinated:

• 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, like the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, like Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
• If it has been less than 2 weeks since your shot, or if you still need to get your second dose, you are NOT fully protected. Keep taking all prevention steps until you are fully vaccinated

What’s Changed

If you’ve been fully vaccinated:

• You can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.
• You can gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household (for example, visiting with relatives who all live together) without masks, unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
• However, if you live in a group setting (like a correctional or detention facility or group home) and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still stay away from others for 14 days and get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.

What Hasn’t Changed

For now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated:  You should still take steps to protect yourself and others in many situations, like wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. 

Take these precautions whenever you are:

• In public
• Gathering with unvaccinated people from more than one other household
• Visiting with an unvaccinated person who is at increased risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 or who lives with a person at increased risk
• You should still avoid medium or large-sized gatherings.
• You should still delay domestic and international travel. If you do travel, you’ll still need to follow CDC requirements and recommendations.
• You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.
• You will still need to follow the guidance at your workplace

The PA DOH is working to ensure that everyone who wants a vaccine, can get it. However, it is important to emphasize to everyone that the vaccine supply for the state is limited and it will take several months before there is adequate supply.

There has been concern about the safety of vaccinations. Currently, three vaccines are authorized and recommended to prevent COVID-19. These vaccines have been approved and are safe and effective in protecting people from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The PA DOH has made information about the safety of the vaccines available on their website.

Mount Nittany Health Updates - 3/31/2021

The following may be attributed to Christopher Hester, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, Mount Nittany Physician Group:

There are currently 28 COVID positive inpatients at Mount Nittany Medical Center, ages 44 to 90. To date, there have been 118 COVID positive inpatients this month, with an average daily census of 18.

As community cases of the virus continue to rise, so do our hospital numbers. COVID inpatient numbers have steadily been on the rise for the last few weeks.

We continue to monitor virus activity in the community and within the health system on a daily basis, and are prepared to make service adjustments as needed to serve our COVID positive inpatients and those needing us for acute and surgical care. This includes the rescheduling of nonessential surgeries and procedures, if needed.

We understand that with warmer weather upon us, there is a desire to return to a sense of normalcy in our lives. With picnic, baseball and outdoor activity season just around the corner, we, too, are ready to get past this pandemic. And while we have made great strides in the past year, we are not there yet.

We ask that you please help us by continuing to avoid social gatherings, keep wearing your masks and frequently wash your hands. These measures have been proven to help stop the spread of COVID-19, and we need the entire community to do its part so that each of us is once again able to safely enjoy quality time spent with family and friends.