BETHLEHEM

VACCINE ROLLOUT PLANS UPDATE: Bethlehem City Health Director Kristen Wenrich will provide an update on COVID-19 vaccine rollout plans and take questions from area residents during a special telephone town hall program hosted by AARP Pennsylvania State President Joanne Grossi March 10 from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

The public is invited to join the conversation by calling 855-286-0295 at that time.

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

COUNTY PRISON: The Director of Corrections reports that, since the beginning of the pandemic, 174 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. One is currently in quarantine; 173 have finished their quarantine periods or are no longer at Northampton County Prison (NCP). Since March 2020, NCP has conducted 2,357 tests for COVID-19 on inmates. All new inmates coming into the facility receive a test before they are transferred to general population; residents are tested on a random basis.

Fifty-two NCP employees have tested positive for the virus since the start of the pandemic. One is in quarantine, fifty-one have returned to work.

NCP staff have been given the option to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine; some have already gotten the shot. PrimeCare Medical is working with the state to make the vaccination available to all NCP inmates when supplies become available

To protect the health of inmates and staff, volunteers, visitors and tours were banned from the prison March 10, 2020. NCP has suspended all programs and is re-evaluating when to restart those services. Inmates can contact their loved ones via phone, tablets or mail.

There are currently 546 inmates in residence at NCP. Thirty non-violent offenders have been granted extended furloughs.

PENNSYLVANIA

TEACHER VACCINATIONS: A group of state organizations is urging the government to get COVID-19 vaccine shots in the arms of teachers and other school staff members as soon as possible.

“The significance of in-person education continues to be demonstrated daily to not only our educators working remotely, but also to our students and their parents/guardians,” representatives from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators, the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials, Pennsylvania Principals Association, Pennsylvania Association of Career and Technical Administrators, and the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units wrote in a joint letter to Gov. Tom Wolf and acting Department of Health Secretary Alison Beam. “While our schools continue to perform incredibly well under the current circumstances, the difficulties of remote learning are of great concern to our members, Pennsylvania’s students, and their families.”

In their letter, the eight organizations said issues ranging from technology disruptions, distractions in home environments, limited hands-on learning opportunities, truancy and many other challenges make it “ever more important to return to in person instruction.”

STATEWIDE VACCINATION DATABASE PROPOSED: State Rep. Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh, has signed on to legislation (House Bill 633) that would allow patients to register themselves and their families for the COVID-19 vaccine via a statewide database of available appointments.

“It’s time that we do something that will end the frustration and better streamline the vaccine distribution effort,” McNeill, a co-sponsor of the bill, said. “I’ve heard from so many people who either don’t have a computer or who begin the registration process only to reach the end and have that initial appointment gone. In some cases, people are getting up in the middle of the night to try and make appointments for themselves, or friends and family without the technology.”

Introduced by Reps. Ryan Bizzarro and Pam Snyder, the legislation would allow couples to register for a vaccination appointment at the same time, add any risk categories such as smoking or pre-existing medical conditions, a note for first responder or essential worker status, and how far the individual is willing to travel to secure a vaccine.

McNeill explained that vaccine providers would then have to register to access this database and give priority to these patients in making appointments available for vaccines.

“People are so desperate to get vaccinated now that there is a supply issue adding another wrinkle, they’re driving hours away from their homes,” said McNeill. “And sadly, many senior couples haven’t been able to schedule appointments together, on the same day, or even in the same location. This is simply unacceptable.”

This bill was referred to the House Health Committee Feb. 24.