Vaccine Distribution Disparities in Pennsylvania's Collar Counties Exposed

Strategic Insights -

The COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Pennsylvania has been marred by disparities in vaccine distribution, particularly in the state's collar counties, which include Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. Despite having a combined population of 2.5 million residents, these counties have struggled to access vaccines due to a low supply from the federal government and a lack of authority to make decisions about vaccine distribution.

Key Takeaways:

  • Delaware County, with a population of over 600,000, ranked 53rd out of 66 counties in the state for vaccine distribution, with only 9,113 doses received per 100,000 people, as reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer in February.
  • Montour County, which has a population of only 18,230, had the highest dose rate in the state, with 164,153 doses per 100,000 residents, indicating a huge disparity in vaccine distribution between the collar counties and other less populated areas.
  • According to State Representative Jennifer O'Mara, the collar counties were facing a low supply of vaccines from the federal government, and demand was high in the densely populated region, with 40% of Delaware County residents qualifying for the vaccine under Phase 1A.
  • The state chose to send vaccines to individual providers, rather than allowing county officials to determine the best way to distribute them, leading to a serious underutilization of local resources.
  • The Montgomery County Health Department had the capacity to vaccinate 12,000 people a day, but was only receiving 5,850 doses a week at the time, as reported by Action News in late March.
  • The state's plan to distribute Johnson & Johnson vaccines through a single mass vaccination site for the entire Southeast region was met with criticism, and Gov. Wolf ultimately decided to open two sites in the collar counties and distribute the vaccines directly to them.
  • The FDA and CDC recommended a nationwide pause on distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to six recipients developing blood clots after being inoculated, leading to the cancellation of countless appointments and the newly allocated vaccines being left unadministered.
  • The counties have each made efforts to adapt to the pause, such as switching to Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and officials are hopeful that the situation will continue to improve with an increased supply and more people getting vaccinated.

Statistics:

  • Delaware County received only 9,113 doses per 100,000 people, ranking 53rd in the state for vaccine distribution.
  • Montour County had the highest dose rate in the state, with 164,153 doses per 100,000 residents.
  • 40% of Delaware County residents qualified for the vaccine under Phase 1A.
  • The Montgomery County Health Department had the capacity to vaccinate 12,000 people a day, but was only receiving 5,850 doses a week.
  • 6 cases of blood clots were reported nationwide out of over 6 million people vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Sources:

  • "Flu Vaccination Grippe" by Daniel Paquet is licensed under CC BY 2.0
  • Philadelphia Inquirer
  • Action News
  • WHYY
  • Rep. Jennifer O'Mara's statement