Pittsburgh Area Seeing Resurgence Of COVID-19 Cases

PITTSBURGH, PA — With an uptick in COVID-19 cases since late May, the Allegheny County Health Department is urging people to receive their updated vaccinations soon. The health department on Monday announced the arrival of its supply of the 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccines.

The latest vaccinations are recommended for anyone over the age of six months regardless of whether they have been previously vaccinated.

"The COVID-19 virus continues to evolve, and vaccine protection can diminish over time," said Dr. Barbara Nightingale, the health department's deputy director of clinical services.

"Getting an updated COVID-19 vaccine can restore immunity and provide enhanced protection against the variants that are currently responsible for most infections and hospitalizations in the United States. We particularly encourage our residents over the age of 65 to get vaccinated this year."

In 2023, Allegheny County had 355 COVID-19-related deaths and more than 5,000 hospitalizations.

According to health department data, there were 2,690 reported cases of COVID-19 in the county in September, a significant increase over the 369 cases reported in May.

People are also urged to receive their flu shot to protect against influenza during the fall and winter months when the virus is most active. The flu vaccine helps prevent infection and reduces the spread of the virus.

The health department also recommends that people 75 years and older, pregnant individuals, and infants receive the RSV vaccine. RSV, a common respiratory virus, can cause serious illness in infants and older adults, often requiring hospitalization.

People can get COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccines at their healthcare provider, local pharmacies, federally qualified health centers, and the health department's immunization clinic, which is offering free vaccinations to those who are uninsured.