Philly Expands COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility

PHILADELPHIA — More people in Philadelphia are now eligible for the vaccine under Phase 1B, Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley announced Friday.

Effective Friday, people living with intellectual disabilities, staff at senior centers or day programs for seniors and those with intellectual disabilities, people who use oral corticosteroids, or other immune weakening medications, and clergy members are now included in Phase 1B.

Farley said adding those with intellectual disabilities to 1B comes on the heels of a study done by a Jefferson doctor in Philadelphia. The study, Farley said, shows those with intellectual disabilities have a high risk for coronavirus mortality and that it was very persuasive.

Including people who take immunosuppressive medications is in line with the existing qualifications for those who are immunocompromised via medical conditions.

And Farley said clergy members are at high risk for being infected by the virus and transmitting it to others as religious services resume.

"We view them, in a sense, as frontline essential workers," he said.

Full details on who is in Philadelphia's vaccine rollout phases are available here.

As of Thursday, 402,123 people have been partially vaccinated and 156,854 have been fully vaccinated in Philadelphia.

The public can sign up online here to be notified when vaccine appointments can be scheduled.

Despite vaccine administration ramping up, Farley said coronavirus case counts are rising in the city.

"We all need to be careful and not let down our guard too soon," he said.

An 465 additional confirmed cases of the coronavirus were reported Friday in Philadelphia. That brings the number of confirmed cases to 119,023.

Two additional deaths were reported Friday, bringing the number of residents who have succumbed to the virus in Philadelphia to 3,229. Of the 3,229 total deaths, 1,174 or 36 percent were long-term care facility residents.

There are 322 patients with coronavirus being treated in Philadelphia hospitals, with a total of 25 on ventilators as of Friday.

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