'We're Asking For Your Patience:' Allegheny County Officials Address Vaccine Rollout Plans
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - In western Pennsylvania, there has been a big focus on the slow rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. Allegheny County leaders addressed the concerns about the delays and that many people will have to wait to be vaccinated.
There are two main holdups: Allegheny County has a lot of healthcare workers due to all of the health networks in the city and the other issue is supply.
Allegheny County can't predict when more vaccines will arrive but the hope is that they will soon.
RELATED: COVID-19 In Allegheny County: Health Director Acknowledges Frustration With Pace Of Vaccinations
As of Thursday morning, the county is still in what is being called "Phase 1A."
Phase 1A includes healthcare workers and people that live in long-term care facilities and some of those people are still being vaccinated.
Next up is Phase 1B that will focus on people 75-years-old and older. However, the county is hoping to include people who are 65-years-old with chronic conditions.
While some states have already moved to the second phase, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald is reminding everyone to hang tight.
"Our region, in particular, has a higher than average number of people who will fall into 1A, because we have so many healthcare-related workers in our county," Fitzgerald said. "We're asking for your patience."
He added that the number of vaccines each county gets fluctuates, which is also adding to the time it takes to get through the phases.
Fitzgerald also urged people who live in Allegheny County to sign up for "Allegheny Alerts" which provides details on the vaccine.
You can sign up for Allegheny Alerts at this link.