Bucks County COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout: Updates

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Three public COVID vaccination clinics opened in Bucks County last week, giving out more than 1,700 doses per day as coronavirus cases continue to decline.

The clinics are located at the three Bucks County Community College campuses in Newtown, Bristol and Perkasie.

County officials also unveiled a new tool this week that allows you to check how many people signed up for the coronavirus vaccine.

Meanwhile, CVS announced plans to offer the vaccine at some Pennsylvania locations. Thus far, only six locations are booking appointments, none of them in Bucks County.

Bucks County Vaccination Clinics

Collectively, they are administering 600 initial doses of Moderna vaccine per day by appointment to people eligible during the 1A phase of Pennsylvania's vaccine rollout. They operate Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., contingent on an adequate supply of the vaccine.

Vaccine recipients are being selected from a database of almost 200,000 people and businesses that have registered for vaccinations coordinated through the Bucks County Health Department. Those in the 1A grouping who registered earliest will be summoned first, county commissioners have said.

Who's Already Vaccinated?

As of Friday, more than 1.5 million partial vaccinations have been administered in Pennsylvania, while 615,000 residents have received full vaccinations, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. In Bucks County, 37,349 people had received one dose of the two-shot vaccination, while another 21,397 had gotten both doses as of Friday.

Initially, most of the doses delivered to the county were administered at Bucks County hospitals to their employees, or by pharmacists visiting the county's nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

An increasing number now are being give at the county clinics and to patients of the county's hospitals who have registered either with the county or through the hospital itself.

Who Is Eligible To Get The Vaccine Now?

Bucks County, like the rest of Pennsylvania, remains in Phase 1A of the state's four-phase rollout of the coronavirus vaccine. Originally, that meant the only people eligible for a vaccine were healthcare workers and residents and employees of nursing homes and other care facilities.

But state officials dramatically increased the number of Pennsylvanians eligible for the vaccine during the initial phase. Everyone 65 and older, along with residents 16 or older who have health conditions that put them at high risk from the virus immediately were made eligible, adding about 3.5 million Pennsylvania residents to the list of those eligible for the shots.

However, the state is experiencing issues obtaining an adequate supply of the vaccine, officials said.

How To Sign Up

Bucks County has created an online hub for information on the coronavirus vaccine. The hub contains detailed information on who is eligible to be vaccinated under each of the state plan's four phases.

On it, there's a form letting residents register for the vaccine. Once registered, residents will be contacted to schedule a vaccination appointment once sufficient supplies arrive, officials said.

Click Here To Register For A COVID-19 Vaccination In Bucks County

Anyone in Bucks County with internet access is encouraged to register for a vaccination online. But, for those who do not have internet access, there is another way. In Bucks County, residents may register for a vaccination by calling the county's coronavirus helpline at 1-800-383-0371.

Where To Get The Vaccine In Bucks County

Invitations are being sent out by email, offering appointments at the county clinics. Each site should be able to vaccinate 500 people per day once an ample vaccine supply is available, officials said.

Bucks County hospitals also have begun registering members of the public to receive the vaccine. St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne now is accepting online registrations from people older than 65 and those 16 or older with existing health conditions. The hospital said it plans to open up eligibility in the next several weeks.

See The St. Mary Medical Center COVID-19 Vaccine Form Here

Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol also has announced plans to open a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for members of the public.

Find A Coronavirus Vaccine Site Near Me: Pennsylvania

Doylestown Health offers five ways to access vaccine appointments for those in the 1A phase:

- Appointments can be made online at https://www.doylestownhealth.o...

- Appointments by phone at 267-810-1820

- All patients of any Doylestown Health primary or specialty care physician are automatically registered and receive invitations for vaccination. Physicians are prioritizing those patients who are most vulnerable. All patients will receive a phone call when vaccine is available.

- Physicians who are not part of the Doylestown Health network may refer their most vulnerable patients to us.

- Doylestown Health has and continues to offer on-site vaccine clinics in senior housing communities and nursing homes, as well as under-served communities.

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