The Chester County Health Department is preparing for phase 1 A of the Coronavirus vaccine to start next week, according to a press release. The first groups to be offered the vaccinations are EMS personnel, healthcare workers, and long-term care residents —people with high-risk medical conditions. There is no time frame yet on when the vaccine will be available for other people.
The Chester County Department is also working with Delaware County because DelCo does not have its own health department.
The department is using CDC guidelines and recommendations. The CDC rationale for that initial grouping is that “early protection of health care personnel is critical to preserve capacity to care for patients with COVID-19 or other illnesses. Due to high rates of underlying medical conditions, and congregate living situation, long-term care residents are at high risk for infection and severe illness from COVID-19.”
Jeanne Casner, director of the Chester County Health Department, said in the release, “Our goal is for everyone to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as enough quantities of the vaccine are available, and our plans will make this happen. Initial availability of the vaccine will be limited, and so will be distributed in a phased approach beginning as early as next week for some phase 1 individuals.”
The county has set up a specific web page with information at https://chesco.org/4822/COVID19Vaccine. According to the site, vaccinations are scheduled to begin Monday, Dec.28.
There are two approved vaccines available. They are the BioNTech-Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines, which are being distributed in both Chester and Delaware counties.
Both vaccines require two doses for full effectiveness - a second shot is given three weeks after the first shot to get the most protection the vaccine has to offer against COVID-19, according to the web page. The county reminds residents that there are potential side-effects but that they are normal. However, it’s been reported that at least four people developed Bell’s Palsy after receiving the Pfizer vaccine. Bell’s Palsy is a temporary paralysis of the face.
The website will be updated as new information — and vaccines — become available. So far, there is no information on where the vaccines will be administered.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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