x
Breaking News
More () »

State answers to coronavirus vaccine frustrations

If the state has vaccines available, why aren't more people getting vaccinated? And why has it been so difficult for some people to set up appointments?

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to linger, many Pennsylvanians are eager to get vaccinated. Some have been able to do so, but others are still waiting.

"We set a prioritization to make sure that this is done in an ethical and efficient way. We are asking our providers to adhere to that, but at the end of the day, we want people to get vaccinated," said April Hutcheson, a spokesperson for the Department of Health.

The Department of Health attempted to answer why the state has only used half of the vaccine doses sent by the federal government.

Here's the data we got from the state to explain that:

So far, it has allocated or sent out 1.8 million doses to providers across the state.

Of that, 930,000 are meant to give the first dose.

And 719,000 people have had that first dose already.

Here's the big difference for Pennsylvania. It is holding on to 884,000 doses to make sure there's enough so everyone getting the first dose can get the second dose.

So far, only 173,000 have had that second shot.

As for how the state determines where to distribute vaccines, including here in northeastern and central Pennsylvania, this is what Department of Health Communications Director April Hutcheson had to say.

"We look at the impact within that county in terms of how much disease has been in that county. What's the population over 65? Using those calculations as well as the request for the allocation. We're also looking at how much they have on hand in terms of their first doses and second doses."

RELATED: How to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment in Pennsylvania

Some people have also had a difficult time setting up appointments to get their vaccines.

"At the end of the day, the common denominator in all of that, is there aren't enough vaccines across the country to meet the demand," Hutcheson said.

If you are a senior who can't access the web to look for an appointment, the state is offering this hotline to help — 877-724-3258.

Before You Leave, Check This Out