Just about every Pennsylvanian 65 and older is now at least partially vaccinated for covid-19, according to the latest covid vaccination data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Wednesday morning, the CDC’s covid vaccine tracker shows 2,393,193 of the state’s 65+ population have at least one dose. With the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimation (using 2019 figures) that 18.7% of Pennsylvania’s 12.8 million residents are 65 and older (2,393,600), the math comes out to mean that 99.98% are partially vaccinated. The CDC’s tracker page rounds that figure up to show it as 100%.
Only Vermont and Hawaii, with 99.9% and 99.2% respectively, are shown to have as much of its 65+ population with at least one shot. West Virginia, with 75.1%, is the state with the lowest percentage.
The state’s vaccination dashboard differs from the CDC claim, showing just 2,093,722 people 65 and older as having at least one dose, which comes to 87.5%. However, the state’s dashboard does not include figures from Philadelphia, which tracks its own vaccination numbers.
The reasons for Pennsylvania’s nearly 100% mark among the 65+ set per the CDC could be a result of the use of 2019 figures, which could be undercounting the number of residents. Also, not everyone replies to the U.S. Census, which then can skew percentages when real-time calculations are implemented.
Nearly all of Allegheny County’s senior citizens are also at least partially vaccinated, including those in care facilities officials say.
“These vaccines really work,” Allegheny County Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen said Tuesday. “They’re what we really need to overcome this virus.”
According to Dr. Donald Yealy, UPMC’s chief medical officer, the “vast majority” of those admitted to UPMC hospitals for covid-19 are either unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated.
There are instances of fully vaccinated people who are hospitalized for the virus, but Yealy called those breakthrough cases. “We knew that would happen,” Yealy said. “It doesn’t mean it’s a failure of vaccines in general. That can happen for a lot of different reasons.”
When it comes to those 18 and older having at least one dose, Pennsylvania ranks 8th among all U.S. states at 73.7%. Vermont’s 83.8% ranks the highest and Mississippi’s 45.1% ranks the lowest.
Cases
As of Wednesday’s covid report, Pennsylvania Department of Health has seen 2,513 new cases of covid-19 in the past seven days, averaging 359 cases per day. The daily average is 53% lower than it was June 1 (771), 80% lower than it was one month ago (1,797 on May 16), and 93% lower than it was two months ago (4,949 on April 16).
Of the state’s new cases in the past week, 1,612 were confirmed through PCR testing and 901 were deemed to be probable cases. Health officials define a probable case as one in which a patient has a positive viral antigen test or covid symptoms with a “high-risk exposure” to someone who has been confirmed to have coronavirus.
To date, Pennsylvania has a total of 1,209,448 cases, with 1,012,683 confirmed through PCR testing.
In Allegheny County, there have been 154 new cases in the past week, with the daily average at 22. That’s a 56% decline since June 1 (50) of the daily average, an 85% decline in the past month (149 on May 16) and a 96% drop since two months ago (533 on April 16).
Of Allegheny’s newest cases, 103 were confirmed in the past week, with 51 considered probable. Since the pandemic began, Allegheny County has amassed 101,715 covid cases, with 76,992 confirmed.
In Westmoreland County, 129 new cases have been added in the past seven days, with the daily average at 18. The daily average in Westmoreland has dropped just slightly since June 1 (20), 60% in the past month (45 on May 16) and 88% in the past two months (146 on April 16). In all, Westmoreland County has seen a total of 34,368 cases, of which 23,088 are confirmed.
Here’s a look at the total covid case numbers for Western Pennsylvania counties, along with the increase there in the past week:
- Armstrong 6,010 (+17)
- Beaver 15,518 (+29)
- Butler 17,583 (+40)
- Fayette 13,372 (+78)
- Indiana 6,413 (+28)
- Somerset 8,052 (+32)
- Washington 17,888 (+62)
In the past week, Philadelphia saw the largest increase in cases with 319, followed by York (184), Allegheny (154), Berks (136) and Westmoreland (129).
Hospitalizations
There are currently 465 covid patients in hospitals across Pennsylvania — a drop of 185 people in the past week alone. Since June 1, when there were 989 people in facilities, hospitalizations for covid-19 have dropped 53%.
Of the state’s covid patients, 114 are in intensive care units and 80 on ventilators.
In Allegheny County, there are 40 patients in hospitals for covid, a decline of 20 in the past week. Of those patients, 15 are in ICUs and nine on ventilators.
In Westmoreland County, there are nine covid patients in facilities, a drop of seven in the past week. Of those patients, four of them in an ICU and three on a ventilator.
Deaths
In the past week, the Department of Health is reporting 136 covid-related deaths in Pennsylvania. The total number of covid deaths in the state is 27,531 since the pandemic began.
Allegheny County has reported 14 deaths over the past week, putting its total at 1,972. While the state has reported the same number of covid deaths in Allegheny County in the past week, the county’s running total is 2,004. The disparity has not been accounted for by either side.
In the past week, dates of death ranged from Jan. 28 through Tuesday. Of those who died, two were in the 25-49 age group, with one in the 50-64 group and 11 in the 65+ age group.
Westmoreland County has seen two deaths reported in the past week, bringing its total to 771.
In the past week, Philadelphia led the state with 27 deaths, followed by Allegheny (14), Montgomery (8), Bucks (6) and Luzerne (5) counties. Other Western Pennsylvania counties’ covid-related death totals are Beaver (3), Fayette (3), Somerset (3), Lawrence (2), and one each for Armstrong, Butler, Indiana and Washington.
Vaccinations
Over the past week, just over 150,000 more Pennsylvanians 18 and older became fully vaccinated, bringing the total number to 5,872,362 (57.8%). The state’s tally of that group’s portion with at least one covid shot is 7,493,011 (73.7%).
In Allegheny County, there are 787,536 (64.38%) with at least one dose and 603,121 (49.30%) that are fully vaccinated. Of those 18 and older, 60.5% are fully vaccinated and 79.1% have at least one dose.
In Westmoreland County, 147,224 residents (40.3%) are fully vaccinated, while 177,999 (48.7%) have at least one dose. Of those 18 and older, 49.3% are fully vaccinated and 59.6% have at least one dose.
Pennsylvanians with questions about the vaccination process can call the Department of Health hotline at 877-724-3258.
Chris Pastrick is a Tribune-Review digital producer. You can contact Chris at 412-320-7898, cpastrick@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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Allegheny | Coronavirus | Local | Pennsylvania | Top Stories | Westmoreland
