Allegheny County's Top Doc Urges Eventual Vaccination Amid 1,074 New COVID Cases, 13 Deaths

Pittsburgh PA

18 December, 2020

5:27 PM

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Public Source December 18, 2o2o By PublicSource reporters Allegheny County Health Department Director Dr. Debra Bogen said Wednesday the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out signals "the beginning of the end" of the pandemic, though she also said December will likely be the deadliest month of the pandemic so far. Bogen said she expects the general public to begin to gain access to COVID-19 vaccines in early summer. She encouraged everyone to get the vaccine, characterizing it as safe and rejecting the notion that it was rushed. It's already been given to tens of thousands of people around the world and has not had adverse effects, she said. "Although the vaccines were developed quickly, they were developed using existing technology that has been used to develop other vaccines," Bogen said. "[Vaccine makers] were also given unprecedented financial support that allowed them to be developed quickly without cutting corners." The virus does not give anyone COVID-19, but it can give you symptoms for one or two days, Bogen said. She said she participated in a Moderna vaccine trial that required her to get two doses and felt sick after the second shot. "I was really glad about that because it showed me that my immune system was responding to the vaccine," Bogen said. "And it also told me that I likely got the vaccine and not placebo." Bogen said that her department, local police, the liquor control board and the department of agriculture are working on enforcing the latest state orders restricting certain business operations but noted enforcement still provides challenges. "We rely on you residents to patronize and support businesses that follow the rules and shun those that do not," Bogen said. Bogen advised residents to avoid long travel and large gatherings for holiday celebrations but stopped short of asking everyone to stay home. She recommended outdoor gatherings with masks for those who plan to celebrate in person with those outside their household. "I know that at least one member of my staff plans to exchange gifts with his in-laws outside around the campfire this year," Bogen said. "I hope he has a lot of fun." The county reported 1,074 new COVID-19 cases and 13 new deaths from the virus Wednesday. The new cases, coming from tests ranging from Dec. 4 to Dec. 15, occurred in individuals from 1 week old to 100 years old, with a median of 46. The deaths occurred in five people in their 70s, four in their 80s, three in their 90s and one older than 100. Seven deaths are linked to long-term care facilities. To date, the county has reported 43,007 cases, 688 deaths and 2,669 past and present hospitalizations. The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 10,049 new COVID-19 cases and 278 new deaths from the virus Wednesday, bringing the new totals to 519,369 cases and 13,168 deaths. Additionally, 6,295 patients are currently hospitalized with the virus, about 20% of which are in intensive care units. The number of hospitalizations is now double the peak in the spring, according to a press release. Nursing and personal care home residents represent about 10% of the state's total caseload and about 57% of the state's deaths. Healthcare workers represent about 3.3% of the state's caseload. Gov. Tom Wolf in a press briefing Tuesday reported that multiple state agencies are working together to ensure COVID-19 vaccine distribution continues smoothly despite the anticipated winter storm hitting Pennsylvania this week. These agencies include the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. "Every agency involved in winter weather preparedness has a role to play in helping to ensure that vaccine distributions proceed smoothly and safely in the coming days," he said. "And our team is ready to work collaboratively to address any issues that arise with vaccine transport and distribution." Wolf reported that this week Pennsylvania received 97,500 doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in 67 counties, adding that inoculations of frontline healthcare workers and other prioritized populations have already started. Wolf also reminded Pennsylvanians on Tuesday that each individual can play a role in ensuring the safe distribution of the vaccine by avoiding travel and staying at home during the storm. "When fewer people are on the road during the winter storm, emergency personnel can work faster, they can do their jobs more safely," he said. "So please, if you can, stay home during the storm while crews are out clearing the roadways." The statewide positivity rate of COVID-19 tests has risen to 16.2% this week, up about 1.8% from last week, according to a press release from Wolf's office. The state now considers all 67 counties of the state to have a "substantial" transmission" of the virus. From Dec. 4 to Dec. 10, Pennsylvania's caseload increased by 60,412 cases - almost 10,000 more than the previous week's increase. In that same time period, 6,192 five to 18-year-olds tested positive; this represents about 16% of the total individuals of that age group to contract the virus throughout the whole pandemic in Pennsylvania. Of the 62,693 cases reported from Nov. 29 to Dec. 5, only 4.4% provided answers to case investigators about trips to businesses. About 9.1% of those who did answer said they visited a business establishment 14 days prior to first feeling symptoms, and half of those said they went to a restaurant. New statewide restrictions The governor on Thursday announced new restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19, including the suspension of indoor dining, extracurricular activities at schools, and indoor activities at casinos, theaters and similar venues. Retail is limited to 50% of indoor capacity. The new restrictions took effect Saturday morning and will run until Jan. 4 at 8 a.m. In announcing the new restrictions, Wolf noted the rising death toll from the pandemic and concern for hospital capacity. "The problem we're all facing is this virus continues to rage in Pennsylvania, and over the past several weeks it has become clear that we need to take further mitigation actions to protect Pennsylvanians and stop the spread of COVID-19," Wolf said in a Thursday press conference. "We all hoped it would not come to this. The current state of the surge in Pennsylvania, though, will not allow us to wait." In announcing the new restrictions, Wolf acknowledged the dire financial impact the pandemic has had on bars and restaurants, particularly around the holiday season. "It has been crushing, crushing for restaurants and bars," Wolf said. "Unfortunately, [the coronavirus] thrives in places where people gather together." The new restrictions limit in-person gatherings to 10 people. Places of worship are specifically excluded from the order but are urged to comply. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 people. Top COVID news for the week of Dec. 13: Pennsylvania distributed Pfizer vaccines to seven more hospitals, including UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh, according to a Wednesday press release from Gov. Tom Wolf's office. Deaths from the virus across the United States have surpassed 300,000. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Scranton, urged Americans on Wednesday to practice social distancing and listen to the experts. "While the delivery of a vaccine provides some light at the end of this dark tunnel, nothing can account for the pain of losing a family member, a friend or a neighbor," Casey said in a Wednesday press release. "We can still save lives." On Monday, Pennsylvania received 97,500 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, slated for 83 hospitals, including UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, where five healthcare workers received the city's first doses. The Moderna vaccine, which does not require refrigeration in extremely cold temperatures like the Pfizer vaccine, will begin distribution in Pennsylvania next week, state Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. Vaccines will be distributed in three phases that prioritize essential workers and those most at risk of the virus. The general public in Pennsylvania likely will not receive the vaccine until late spring or the summer, Levine said. Wolf joined New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy in calling for a new COVID-19 relief package from Congress in a Monday morning press briefing. "We need a comprehensive relief package right now," Wolf said in a press release. "We need an aid package that provides support for state and local governments, for businesses, and for the American people. People in my state are suffering right now due to a lack of federal assistance, and things will only get worse if the federal government refuses to act." The Department of State's Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation released data Thursday related to COVID-19 enforcement actions carried out from Nov. 29 through Dec. 6. The information is specific to COVID-19 mitigation requirements for the licensed professions, including social distancing, masking and occupancy limits, and lists actions taken during routine inspections and investigations. The bureau performed a total of 450 inspections and 86 investigations from Nov. 29 to Dec. 9, during which COVID-19-specific compliance was the focus; this week, the bureau distributed three warning letters related to COVID-19 mitigation efforts. This article was reported by Nicole C. Brambila, Oliver Morrison, Rich Lord, Matt Petras, Juliette Rihl, Charlie Wolfson, Mark Kramer, Jon Moss, Emma Folts, Veonna King, Amanda Su, Kellen Stepler, James Anthony Bell III, Sophie Burkholder and Amanda Hernandez. This article was produced by PublicSource.org, a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. PublicSource tells stories for a better Pittsburgh. Sign up for their free email newsletters at publicsource.org/newsletters.