It is still unclear when the next coronavirus vaccination phase will begin in Pennsylvania, but those who are waiting can now sign up for alerts so they can be contacted when the updates are announced.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced during an information update on Tuesday that the new tool “Your turn” has been launched.
The tool is posted on health.pa.gov and asks users to answer screening questions to determine their vaccination phase, including their date of birth, employment category and whether they have any high-risk conditions.
Those who are not eligible for the current phase, known as 1A, have the option to enter an email address and phone number to contact.
In 1A, the vaccine is restricted to health workers, residents 65 years and older and those younger with serious medical conditions that make them more susceptible to serious illness or death.
More than 4 million residents of the state are eligible for the vaccine in 1A, which means that 8 million doses are needed to fully vaccinate them with both the required doses, said senior health department adviser Lindsey Mauldin , repeated in Tuesday’s virtual briefing.
The state has so far received 2.4 million doses from the federal government, Mauldin said.
As of Tuesday, the first doses had been administered at least 1.05 million, while still more than 302,640 had both received the required doses.
Mauldin said she could not set a fixed date for the initiation of 1B because it depends on the amount of vaccines provided by the federal government, and the demand is currently more than the supply here and nationwide.
The 1B phase includes law enforcement, emergency services personnel, correctional officers, clergy and public transportation workers, grocery stores, education, manufacturing, the U.S. Postal Service and childcare and community care facilities that were not part of 1A.
Mauldin stressed that providers administering the vaccine should not withhold the first doses to ensure that the second one is available, as the state will ensure that all necessary second doses are allocated.
Residents without Internet access can contact 1-877-PA-HEALTH to determine if they are able to obtain vaccine and receive contact information for providers who administer the vaccine near them.