Penn State Health receives additional vaccines, prepares to vaccinate more employee groups
With the arrival last week of 4,000 doses of the newly authorized for emergency use COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna and 4,875 additional doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Penn State Health has moved to the second tier of its vaccination efforts. Among those now eligible to receive the vaccine are staff with routine direct patient contact or routine contact with COVID-19 infectious material. Employees who wish to receive the vaccine should be responsive when they receive an email to self-schedule.
As of Jan. 4, Penn State Health has administered more than 6,000 vaccinations across the health system. Until vaccine supply fully meets institutional demand, Penn State Health will continue to manage distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines based upon the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) guidance.
The health system’s distribution of the vaccines extends beyond its three medical centers. On Dec. 30, Penn State Health provided doses of the Moderna vaccine to State College-based employees. Additionally, Penn State Health is coordinating the delivery of vaccination materials to Lancaster for physicians and staff. The ultimate goal for Penn State Health and the College of Medicine is to vaccinate all employees who wish to receive the vaccine.
On Dec. 30, the DOH instructed hospitals to dedicate a portion of their vaccines to community first responders and healthcare front line workers who are not affiliated with medical centers. Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 6, Penn State Health will set aside 10% of its vaccines for these groups. The allocation is not expected to affect the health system’s ability to continue to vaccinate Penn State Health and College of Medicine staff.
At the present time, Penn State Health employees are not required to receive COVID-19 vaccines, which are currently only available under emergency use authorization. However, because vaccination is one of the best ways to minimize COVID-19 illness, staff members are strongly encouraged to learn about and consider receiving the vaccine when it becomes available to them.
See the employee vaccine FAQs for common questions and answers related to the COVID-19 vaccine and Penn State Health’s plans for distribution.
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