HARRISBURG, PA (AP / KDKA) – Pennsylvania coronavirus numbers appear to be flat, and January looks “much more promising” if people follow mitigation measures over the holidays, Secretary of State for Health said Monday. Dra.
“Right now, we’re certainly seeing a plateau, maybe even a slight decrease in our numbers,” Dr. Levine said, noting that “always” is lower on Sundays and Mondays.
The percentage rate of positivity for the week of December 11-17 fell to 15.8%, from 16.2% the previous week.
“If everyone does the right thing, if everyone stays together and continues with these mitigation measures, stays almost at home during the holidays, things seem much more hopeful for January,” Dr. Levine said. “If people travel, if they have small and big meetings, we will have more challenges.”
Gov. Tom Wolf has imposed a series of shutdowns through Jan. 4, including youth sports and other extracurricular activities, gyms, theaters and casinos, and covered dinners at restaurants amid rising infection rates, hospitalizations and deaths. Stop orders have generated lawsuits and a growing list of companies that promise to defy orders and stay open.
The daily load of positive cases has declined since Wolf imposed the restrictions on Dec. 12, although hospitalizations have continued to rise.
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Meanwhile, more than 17,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to health care workers at Pennsylvania hospitals, Dr. Levine said, as hospitals continue to be stressed by loads of coronavirus patients and are expected to arrive. a second Moderna vaccine this week.
Dr. Levine said so far 87 hospitals have received doses of the first vaccine, from Pfizer, with another 30,000 doses coming this week. In addition, state hospitals are expected to begin receiving 198,000 doses of the recently approved Modern vaccine this week, Levine said.
As part of a federal partnership, CVS and Walgreen will begin on-site vaccination services for residents and specialized nursing staff across the state next week, Levine said. These facilities will receive the Pfizer vaccine, he said.
Meanwhile, Levine said even people who get the vaccine should continue to watch efforts to curb the spread of the virus, including those wearing a mask and social distancing protocols.
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