Gov. Tom Wolf announced Wednesday that Pennsylvania has reached a new COVID-19 vaccine milestone with 95 percent of Pennsylvanians ages 18 and older receiving at least one vaccination.
“The uplifting reality is that most people are doing what they can to protect their health,” said Gov. Wolf. “I would like to thank Pennsylvanians who have been vaccinated, not just for themselves but for the people around them. We know that vaccines are safe and effective and our best defense against COVID-19.”
As of Feb. 23, Pennsylvania vaccine providers have administered 28,685,125 COVID-19 vaccines.
“If you still have not received your COVID-19 vaccination, second dose or booster, I urge you to visit a vaccine provider today,” said Gov. Wolf.
Vaccines are free and available across the commonwealth. To find a vaccine provider near you, visit vaccines.gov.
Currently, McKean County has had eight new cases reported Tuesday, four Monday and 17 on Feb. 18. Potter County had three new cases reported Tuesday, two Monday and four on Feb. 18.
Elk County had two new cases reported Tuesday, eight on Monday and seven on Feb. 18.
Most recently, Cameron County had one case reported on Monday and four cases reported on Feb. 18.
Also, the Pennsylvania Department of Health provided a weekly COVID-19 update and new information about the value of getting vaccinated during pregnancy.
A new study supports the effectiveness of the vaccine for infants whose mothers were vaccinated while pregnant. Officials explained the study finds that infants were 60% less likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 in the first six months of life if their mother was vaccinated during pregnancy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and professional medical organizations, like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, recommend COVID-19 vaccination at any point in pregnancy.
According to the CDC, as of Monday, Feb. 21, 76.2% of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated. This percentage reflects all 67 counties in Pennsylvania.
The Department of Health analyzed the following vaccine data within its 66-county vaccine jurisdiction; Philadelphia is a separate vaccine jurisdiction:
— 85,760 vaccine doses were administered in the past week, including 33,853 booster doses and 9,635 pediatric doses.
— The total number of vaccines administered dropped by 21.6% compared to the previous week.
The state health department reports that the daily average number of cases was 2,608. The CDC ranks Pennsylvania 27th in excess deaths related to COVID-19.
