HARRISBURG, PA (AP / KDKA) – The number of coronaviruses in Pennsylvania seems to be pleasing, and January seems “much more hopeful” if people follow mitigation measures over the holidays, Secretary of State for Health Dr. Rachel Levine.
“Right now, we’re definitely seeing a plateau, maybe even a slight decrease in our numbers,” Dr. Levine said, noting that it’s “always” smaller on Sundays and Mondays.
The positivity rate for the week of December 11-17 fell to 15.8%, down from 16.2% in the previous week.
“If everyone does the right thing, if everyone stays united and continues those mitigation measures, stays almost at home during the holidays, then things seem much more hopeful for January,” Dr. Levine said. “If people travel, if they have big and small meetings, then we will be more challenged.”
Gov. Tom Wolf imposed a series of shutdowns until Jan. 4, including youth sports and other extracurricular activities, gyms, theaters and casinos, and indoor dining at restaurants amid rising rates of infections, hospitalizations and deaths. Closing orders have sparked lawsuits and a growing list of companies promising to defy orders and remain open.
The daily burden of positive cases has declined since Wolf imposed restrictions on December 12, although hospitalizations have continued to rise.
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Meanwhile, more than 17,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given to health care workers in Pennsylvania hospitals, Dr. Levine said, as hospitals remain stressed by loads of coronavirus patients and are expected to have a second vaccine from Moderna. to arrive this week.
Dr Levine said 87 hospitals had so far received doses of the first vaccine from Pfizer, with another 30,000 doses to arrive this week. In addition, state hospitals are set to begin receiving 198,000 doses of the recently approved Moderna vaccine this week, Levine said.
As part of a federal partnership, CVS and Walgreen will next week begin on-site vaccination services for residents and staff of qualified health care institutions across the state, Levine said. These facilities will receive the Pfizer vaccine, she said.
Meanwhile, Levine said that even people receiving the vaccine should continue to observe efforts to stop the spread of the virus, including wearing a mask and social distancing protocols.
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