Here's How Pennsylvania Plans To Speedup COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
By Jason Hall
February 10, 2021
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is forming a COVID-19 vaccine task force to speedup distribution in Pennsylvania.
Members of Governor Tom Wolf's administration will collaborate with Democratic and Republican appointees from the Pennsylvania House and Senate to improve the state's lagging distribution system, CBS Pittsburgh reports.
Pennsylvania is far behind its goal of having its more than 4 million residents eligible for the vaccine receive dosages. The state reports only about a quarter of those residents -- which includes individuals 65 and older, as well as those with medical conditions -- have received at least one of the two required doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The task force aims to set up communication within the General Assembly and Wolf administration to share information regarding Pennsylvania's vaccination plan to the public.
“We have a good working relationship with our legislators, and we know they are the eyes, ears, and voices for Pennsylvanians,” Gov. Wolf said in a press release obtained by CBS Pittsburgh. “The feedback they receive from their local communities is extremely important, particularly as the commonwealth continues to improve upon this once-in-a-generation vaccine rollout. Working with leaders from each caucus in the General Assembly, we are creating a task force to ensure collaboration and strengthen communications about the state’s vaccine plan.”
The task force will include Democrats Sen. Art Haywood and Rep. Bridget Kosierowski and Republicans Sen. Ryan Aument and Rep. Tim O'Neal, as well as Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam and Director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Randy Padfield from the Wolf Administration.
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