PA COVID Positivity Rate Plummets As Vaccinations Rise: New Data

PENNSYLVANIA — After months of vaccinations and warming weather, Pennsylvania has nearly reached the coveted 5 percent positivity mark on tests, or "suppression" of the virus.

The state's overall positivity rate stood at 5.3 percent as of Friday, marking a 1.3 percent drop from where it stood at 6.6 percent a week ago, according to the latest data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health's Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard.

Moreover, new cases dropped from 14,400 over the previous seven day period, to 9,522.

“For the first time in many, many weeks we see less than 10,000 new cases reported," Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement announcing the case totals. "While this data is encouraging, we need to remember there are still thousands of cases being reported and we still need to take steps to protect ourselves and others – like getting vaccinated."

The news comes as the CDC and FDA updated its guidance to state that face masks were no longer mandatory for the fully vaccinated in public places.

The daily average case rate, meanwhile, sits at around 1,200, which is the lowest mark it has reached since early October, before the fall surge really came into full swing around the state.

Both the warmer weather and rapidly rising vaccination rate are drivers of the improvements, as the "fourth wave" appears to be retreating following several weeks of decreasing numbers.

Healthcare metrics are following a similar progression. The average daily number of hospitalizations has fallen from 2,131 to 1,758, while the percentage of emergency room visits due to coronavirus symptoms is down from 0.8 to 0.7 percent statewide.

The average daily number of patients on ventilators has also fallen from 253 to 239.

Officials continue to urge non-vaccinated residents to get the vaccine, as the state works to achieve herd immunity. Vaccine hesitancy has become the state's top priority in recent weeks.

“Getting vaccinated will add the best layer of protection against this virus and getting us all back to the things we missed throughout the pandemic," Gov. Wolf added.

In Pennsylvania, 50.5 percent of the adult population 18 and over is fully vaccinated, while 55.7 percent of the entire population has received at least a first dose. Pennsylvania plans to drop its mask mandate when 70 percent of the adult population is vaccinated.

Most counties in the state are now in the "moderate" transmission category, an improvement from recent weeks where many remained "substantial." Here's the latest breakdown:

Low

Cameron, Forest, Fulton, Sullivan

Moderate

Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Berks, Bucks, Butler, Centre, Chester, Clarion, Clinton, Crawford, Cumberland, Delaware, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lehigh, Mercer, Montgomery, Montour, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Snyder, Somerset, Tioga, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, Wyoming, York

Substantial

Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Cambria, Carbon, Clearfield, Columbia, Dauphin, Lebanon, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mifflin, Monroe, Northampton, Perry, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Union, Venango