How Montgomery County Compares In Vaccine Rollout: Study

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — Nearly a third of Montgomery County's adult population has been fully vaccinated, as efforts continue around the country to inoculate residents before the fourth wave of the virus takes hold.

The total percentage of individuals in the county over 18 who have been vaccinated sits at 31 percent, according to a study from the New York Times which tracks county level data around the nation. That's 25 percent of all residents, including children.

That number places Montgomery County among the top tier of a dozen or so counties in Pennsylvania with a similar percentage rate. However, as the third most populous county in the state, there are still a very large number of unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals.

About 52 percent of the senior population over the age of 65 in the county has been fully vaccinated, the New York Times data shows.

Partial vaccination numbers do provide a more optimistic outlook: Montgomery has administered at least one dose to more than 48 percent of its 16 and over population, according to county data.

In southeastern Pennsylvania, counties have been hit especially hard by the recent pause on administration of Johnson & Johnson doses. Just over two weeks ago, the four counties in the Philadelphia were each promised a weekly allocation of 10,500 doses of J&J; this shift in state policy, coupled with an increase in doses, allowed the southeastern counties to drastically accelerate their rollout, complete scheduling for the 1A priority group, and open up eligibility to the general public.

This came as a huge relief to local leaders, who had been saying for weeks that the state Department of Health was shortchanging them in their vaccine allocations. But now, with Johnson & Johnson halted through at least April 24 in Pennsylvania, the speed of future vaccinations is cloudy.

Speed is particularly important given the fourth wave of the virus surging in many parts of the country, including Pennsylvania. Officials have characterized vaccine administration as a "race" to get the public to herd immunity, which would occur when at least 70 to 80 percent of the population is either vaccinated or has antibodies from a previous infection.

Here's how the other southeastern counties compare to Montgomery County, per the New York Times study, in percentage of adults vaccinated:

• Delaware: 35 percent
• Chester: 35 percent
• Bucks: 33 percent
• Philadelphia: 31 percent

Elsewhere around the state, the second most populous county, Allegheny, has vaccinated 34 percent of adults. Rural Forest County is the leader at 53 percent.

The New York Times projection model shows that at the current pace of vaccine administration, the entire country could receive at least one shot by the end of 2021.

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