New COVID Cases In Bucks Rise, As Vaccinations Ramp Up

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — As the number of COVID-19 vaccinations ramped up in Bucks County last week, the number of new cases of the virus also increased for the second week in a row.

There were 1,349 new coronavirus infections reported in Bucks County from March 14-20, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. That's a 31-percent increase over the previous week.

New case numbers are rising similarly across the state. The 4,213 cases reported on Friday was Pennsylvania's highest single-day total in six weeks.

In Bucks, the number of hospitalizations and deaths has, to date, not followed the upward trend. Ten COVID deaths were reported in Bucks County last week, the same as was reported for March 7-13. That number was less than half the number of deaths that had been reported in Bucks two weeks earlier.

At the end of last week, the coronavirus death total in Bucks County was 1,155.

There were 66 patients in Bucks County hospitals with COVID as of Saturday. Of those, 15 were in intensive care and nine were on ventilators.

On the positive side, Bucks County significantly stepped up its COVID-19 distribution pace last week. The four county-run clinics alone gave more than 11,000 vaccinations last week. That's more than one-third of the 31,066 total doses given the county has given since Feb. 16.

Countywide, more than 137,000 people in Bucks County had received at least one vaccine dose as of Saturday. Of those, 64,999 people had been fully vaccinated and another 72,523 had received a single dose of a two-dose vaccine.

Last week's increase at county clinics was due largely to a new site opening at Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem. In its first full week, the Neshaminy site administered 4,883 first doses of the vaccine.

Two additional vaccination clinics have been approved by Bucks commissioners for when the state's allotment of vaccine increases enough to use them. Meanwhile, plans are under way for a mass vaccination site in southeast Pennsylvania.

There have been reports the state has chosen Montgomery Mall, in North Wales, for that site, although Montgomery County officials told Patch they have not been informed of that decision.

County officials reported that Bucks' allotment of vaccine decreased last week, falling to 15,000 from 20,660 the week before. Those doses are divided between the county, hospitals and doctors' offices and does not include vaccine being sent directly to pharmacies by the federal government or vaccine being sent to vaccinate teachers.

"Vaccination numbers are climbing steadily, though supply is coming a little slower than what was predicted," said Dr. David Damsker, director of the Bucks County Health Department. "Again, I encourage everyone to get whichever vaccine they can, as soon as they are eligible."

State officials have said Bucks County's allotment of vaccine will increase this week and that this week's level should remain fairly consistent for several weeks. That, officials said, should help the county meet Gov. Tom Wolf's goal of scheduling a vaccination for every eligible Pennsylvanian by March 31.