State Planning Southeastern PA Mass Vaccine Site: Latest Details

SOUTHEASTERN, PA — Pennsylvania is continuing to plan to open a state-run mass vaccine clinic in the southeastern part of the state, although they say that details have not yet been finalized.

It's unwelcome news to county leaders and many state legislators, who have been vociferous in their opposition to the creation of a single site for the region. They say adding a new site — yet another list for residents to add their name to — rather than using existing county-run sites, will further complicate a situation that has already maddened tens of thousands.

"Instead of working with local elected officials and county Health Departments closest to the people we serve, the State has chosen to take the advice of a Boston logistics company to establish regional sites as our local mass vaccination sites sit underutilized," the four counties said in a joint statement issued late last week, referencing the Boston Consulting Group, hired on an $11.5 million contract by the state back in February.

On Tuesday, The Intelligencer reported that Montgomery Mall had been chosen as this regional site, citing Bucks County Commissioners. A spokesperson for Montgomery County told Patch that the county had not been notified of this decision. The state said that they were still working on it.

“Discussions among state, county and legislative officials are ongoing and we will make an announcement as soon as details are finalized,” Barry Ciccocioppo, the communications director for the Department of Health, told Patch.

Mid-April was noted as a goal opening date.

“But that will depend not only on finalizing logistics regarding location and staffing, but also on vaccine allotments,” Ciccocioppo said.

There has been concern about driving distance to the sites.

"Our vaccine allotment has been severely limited, and residents are already being forced to travel for their appointments, meaning access for working people, folks without reliable transportation, and caretakers of children is often all but non-existent,” said State Sen. John Kane, who represents Delaware and Chester.

Allocating vaccine to the existing county sites would mitigate these problems, local leaders say.

"We have highly qualified public health and safety teams in place, high-volume locations secured, and more than 500,000 people waiting on our collective lists to get their shots," the four-county statement goes on to say. "We just need more supply."

RELATED: State Plans Southeast PA Mass Vaccination Site Despite Pushback

It's unknown how many doses will be administered on a daily basis at these sites. A spokesperson for Montgomery County said that the county had a meeting scheduled with the state to go over further logistics and details on Monday afternoon. As things stood early this week, however, the site will "disproportionately harm" the region's most vulnerable residents, State Sen. Katie Muth said.

"I cannot understand the purpose of the $11.6 million dollar contract with a consulting firm for vaccine distribution and yet, here we are, many questions unanswered, incomplete data, and inconsistent information day-to-day," Muth added. "My constituents are beyond frustrated at the confusion and lack of coordination."

The site will be run by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and Pennsylvania National Guard. It is part of a network of clinics managed by the Department of Health opening statewide as Pennsylvania receives increased allocations of vaccine.

These sites will receive allocations of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine come the end of this month, once the last school employees are vaccinated. Officials in the southeastern counties had said they were hopeful these doses would instead be allocated specifically for the most vulnerable groups that still have not yet received a vaccine, and which may have extra difficulties in coming to a site for two shots. This includes the homeless, those with disabilities, those homebound with other illnesses, and those in correctional facilities.

Last Wednesday, Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said that they'd presented this alerntative to the state and that the counties were looking forward to another meeting to address the issue. But during a public appearance Thursday, Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam sounded sure they were moving forward with the single site.

Recent state clinics have opened at sites in Lebanon and Lancaster counties.

For full information about getting a coronavirus vaccine in Pennsylvania, visit Patch's information hub.