Bucks County Government: Rita's Helps Sweeten The County's Vax Efforts As Outreach Ramps Up

Press release from the Bucks County Government :

May 20, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A spoonful of sugar may help the medicine go down, but a cup of water ice?

A spoonful of sugar may help the medicine go down, but a cup of water ice?

Way better.

Way better.

The Bucks County Commissioners on Thursday announced a $30,000 partnership with Rita’s Italian Ice to help sweeten the deal for residents lining up for COVID-19 vaccinations at county-run clinics. Get a shot, get a voucher for a Rita’s treat.  

The Bucks County Commissioners on Thursday announced a $30,000 partnership with Rita’s Italian Ice to help sweeten the deal for residents lining up for COVID-19 vaccinations at county-run clinics. Get a shot, get a voucher for a Rita’s treat.  

The gesture – funded mostly through donations from Bensalem-based Rita’s – is part of the county’s efforts to ramp up community outreach to get more people vaccinated.

The gesture – funded mostly through donations from Bensalem-based Rita’s – is part of the county’s efforts to ramp up community outreach to get more people vaccinated.

From middle-school vaccination visits to public-service messages, education tables at public libraries and pop-up clinics at community events, the county and partner organizations are seeking to nudge the vaccine-hesitant off the fences and keep the immunization momentum going as mass clinics begin scaling back.

From middle-school vaccination visits to public-service messages, education tables at public libraries and pop-up clinics at community events, the county and partner organizations are seeking to nudge the vaccine-hesitant off the fences and keep the immunization momentum going as mass clinics begin scaling back.

“Now there is no excuse for not getting your COVID vaccine,” said Commissioners’ Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia at a news conference outside the Neshaminy Mall, site of one of the county’s five mass vaccination sites. “We are so honored to be able to partner with Rita’s and offer everyone who comes in to get a vaccine a free Rita’s coupon.”

“Now there is no excuse for not getting your COVID vaccine,” said Commissioners’ Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia at a news conference outside the Neshaminy Mall, site of one of the county’s five mass vaccination sites. “We are so honored to be able to partner with Rita’s and offer everyone who comes in to get a vaccine a free Rita’s coupon.”

The county’s vaccination push continues to be highly successful and effective, with more than a half-million doses of vaccine administered countywide – 515,058 through Wednesday.

The county’s vaccination push continues to be highly successful and effective, with more than a half-million doses of vaccine administered countywide – 515,058 through Wednesday.

That includes more than 222,000 people who have been fully vaccinated, and more than 313,000 who have received at least a first dose of vaccine – equivalent to roughly 60 percent of the vaccine-eligible Bucks County population.

That includes more than 222,000 people who have been fully vaccinated, and more than 313,000 who have received at least a first dose of vaccine – equivalent to roughly 60 percent of the vaccine-eligible Bucks County population.

“We are above the average in terms of people getting first shots, we are above the average in terms of vaccinated adults here,” said Commissioner Bob Harvie. “And over the past few weeks we’ve seen a lot of teenagers coming in, once they were cleared to get the Pfizer vaccine.”

“We are above the average in terms of people getting first shots, we are above the average in terms of vaccinated adults here,” said Commissioner Bob Harvie. “And over the past few weeks we’ve seen a lot of teenagers coming in, once they were cleared to get the Pfizer vaccine.”

That level of participation has knocked the rate of new COVID cases down to the lowest level the county has seen since before Halloween. It has also cut COVID hospitalizations by nearly 70 percent in the past month, and greatly reduced the number of COVID deaths in Bucks County.

That level of participation has knocked the rate of new COVID cases down to the lowest level the county has seen since before Halloween. It has also cut COVID hospitalizations by nearly 70 percent in the past month, and greatly reduced the number of COVID deaths in Bucks County.

But as demand at the county’s mass clinics levels off and the clinics begin to close, the county is determined to find additional ways of reaching out to unvaccinated people who may be hesitant.

But as demand at the county’s mass clinics levels off and the clinics begin to close, the county is determined to find additional ways of reaching out to unvaccinated people who may be hesitant.

“It’s the right thing to do, to get vaccinated,” said Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo, who teamed with Harvie to produce a public service video encouraging residents of all political backgrounds to get the COVID shot. “You protect yourself, you protect your family members, you protect your co-workers, you protect your friends…It’s going to protect all of us.”

“It’s the right thing to do, to get vaccinated,” said Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo, who teamed with Harvie to produce a public service video encouraging residents of all political backgrounds to get the COVID shot. “You protect yourself, you protect your family members, you protect your co-workers, you protect your friends…It’s going to protect all of us.”

Bucks County Health Department Director Dr. David Damsker, who jokingly administered a vaccine shot to “Ice Guy,” the Rita’s mascot, said the county is “in a really good spot right now” in its battle with COVID.

Bucks County Health Department Director Dr. David Damsker, who jokingly administered a vaccine shot to “Ice Guy,” the Rita’s mascot, said the county is “in a really good spot right now” in its battle with COVID.

“We want to get as many people vaccinated as possible,” Damsker said. “We know the vaccine is effective,” citing the fact that virtually everyone who has been hospitalized or died from COVID in Bucks recently has been an unvaccinated person.

“We want to get as many people vaccinated as possible,” Damsker said. “We know the vaccine is effective,” citing the fact that virtually everyone who has been hospitalized or died from COVID in Bucks recently has been an unvaccinated person.

“We want to bring everyone in, especially the younger people who may think they don’t need it,” Damsker said. “We’ve already done more than 5,000 doses for Bucks County kids ages 12 to 15. So the word is getting out to that population, but we want to get it to everyone who hasn’t had it yet.”

“We want to bring everyone in, especially the younger people who may think they don’t need it,” Damsker said. “We’ve already done more than 5,000 doses for Bucks County kids ages 12 to 15. So the word is getting out to that population, but we want to get it to everyone who hasn’t had it yet.”

Damsker stressed that the vaccine has proven to be safe and effective, but that some hesitant people still need a nudge … or a cup of Rita’s, to get them to come in.

Damsker stressed that the vaccine has proven to be safe and effective, but that some hesitant people still need a nudge … or a cup of Rita’s, to get them to come in.

“Anything we can do to get people in here is a good idea,” he said.

“Anything we can do to get people in here is a good idea,” he said.

To see an interactive map showing Bucks County’s COVID testing locations, please click here.

To see an interactive map showing Bucks County’s COVID testing locations, please click here.

To see an interactive map showing Bucks County cases reported in the past 30 days, please click here. 

To see an interactive map showing Bucks County cases reported in the past 30 days, please click here. 

Statistics, charts, links to state health department data and other coronavirus-related information can be found on the county’s data portal: https://covid19-bucksgis.hub.arcgis.com.

Statistics, charts, links to state health department data and other coronavirus-related information can be found on the county’s data portal: https://covid19-bucksgis.hub.arcgis.com.

Media contact: Larry R. King, 215-348-6413, lrking@buckscounty.org

Media contact: Larry R. King, 215-348-6413, lrking@buckscounty.org

This press release was produced by the Bucks County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.