COVID-19 In Allegheny County: Hospitals Ramping Up Efforts To Vaccinate Frontline Workers
MONROEVILLE, Pa. (KDKA) -- Efforts continue across Allegheny County to get frontline workers vaccinated against COVID-19.
At last check, more than 16,000 vaccines have been administered in the county. The DoubleTree Hotel will become a point of dispensing for health care personnel who provide patient care to get vaccinated.
Starting on Wednesday, the hotel in Monroeville will help distribute the vaccine to people who have pre-registered. They'll check-in, get the vaccine and wait 15-30 minutes to make sure they have no side effects.
County leaders said 100 people are registered for Wednesday, 200 for Thursday and 320 for Friday.
According to the county, more than 1,000 organizations or facilities have requested vaccination through the county. For UPMC frontline workers, the second dose of the vaccine started Tuesday.
"Walk in, get your vaccine card and get your shot. You're all done. It's pretty simple," UPMC Passavant ICU Nurse Christian Schott said.
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Schott works with coronavirus patients at UPMC Passavant. He's hoping the vaccine can be the light at the end of the tunnel.
"Hopefully, everybody else starts to get vaccinated and we see some progress and move forward," Schott said over Zoom.
According to medical leaders at UPMC, about 32,000 employees have received the first dose of the vaccine, with another 22,000 scheduled.
"It has lifted a big burden off of my shoulders, especially engaging with family members and friends who are very, very paranoid about the virus and getting the disease," said Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah, an emergency department physician at UPMC Children's Hospital.
Allegheny Health Network has vaccinated about 8,500 employees at its eight locations. AHN has received its second doses and is starting them this week. The plan is to get all its workers at least the first shot in the next six weeks.
"It's been very exciting for us to vaccinate individuals and I know that everybody who has come in has been excited in the first step in trying to closing out this pandemic," AHN Vice President of Pharmacy Laura Mark said.
