DUBOIS – At Thursday’s Penn Highlands Healthcare teleconference, updates regarding vaccinations were given and a few other items of information.
Recently, PHH has been working on getting individuals categorized in the Department of Health’s Phase 1A vaccinated, beginning with healthcare workers and followed by individuals ages 75 and older.
Now, those who are age 65-74 can sign up for the wait list to be contacted for one of the clinics, as well as those ages 16-64 with life-threatening conditions.
Those interested can contact the information line at 814-503-4735 or, beginning next week, sign up on PHH’s Web site, pennhighlandshealthcare.org.
Once you are on the waiting list, you will be called when vaccine is available and given information on clinics.
Recent information from the state DOH makes scheduling easier, as PHH will be receiving a guaranteed set amount of vaccine each week, so appointments can be scheduled further in advance.
Chief Operations Officer Mark Norman said that help is needed to set up clinics. They need buildings, which have plenty of parking and plenty of inside space for distancing, with heat and air conditioning.
The clinics also need volunteers to help with registration, parking and so on.
Anyone who wants to volunteer themselves or suggest a location for a clinic can sign up on the PHH Web site beginning next week.
The officials at the teleconference noted that cases of COVID-19 are going down, but it is too early to tell how much of an effect the vaccine is having on the numbers.
Norman and others stressed the importance of continuing to practice safety measures, such as wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands and so on.
“We’re all in this together,” he said.
