Chester County Vaccine Sites: Who, When, Where To Go

WEST CHESTER, PA — The Who and Where of vaccine distribution in Chester County are answerable this week, but the When question remains dependent on supplies, according to the county health department.

As Chester and Delaware county residents in the first phase of distribution began receiving their vaccinations this week, there were many questions for the health department about when the 1A group of frontline workers would be vaccinated, and when the next group would begin getting theirs. The short answer was that no definite time can be set.

When wider distribution begins is unpredictable.

"We cannot predict" when each new shipment of vaccines will be arriving, said Chester County Health Department Director Jeanne Casner. In a news conference yesterday she explained, "We can only open appointments as we get the vaccine from the state."

Casner could offer "no definite time" when vaccination distribution could move to the next group of the population that includes school staff.

Who gets vaccinated is prioritized in phases.

When that happens, the county's next phase of workers, the 1-B phase, will include teachers, school staff, and bus drivers, Casner said. Also included in the 1-B phase are firefighters, grocery store workers, law enforcement, county administration staff, corrections staff, and childcare workers.

The full list of who is part of what phase can be found here.

The Chester County Health Department began on Dec. 28 vaccinating EMS providers and frontline healthcare personnel with the first shipment of 2,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

The Chester County Health Department received its first delivery of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 23 and began "vaccinating the vaccinators," in a first-run of the distribution plan, said Casner.

Chester County's phased distribution of the vaccine is based on CDC research recommendations.

Where vaccines will be available is planned.

The Chester County Government Services Center on Westtown Road will serve as the "flagship" site for vaccinating the county, but distribution will use other in-place and mobile sites, much like the county's testing has worked, Casner said.

Health center sites will be set up in area hospitals, Casner said on Tuesday. She explained that with each new shipment and round of vaccinations, plans must also include the second round of the vaccine 21-28 days after the first.

There will be smaller sites set up, likely at schools and churches, Casner said. These sites, as well as drive-through locations, will be posted on the county's COVID-19 webpage as soon as they are ready to operate, Casner said.

She explained hours will be expanded when supplies arrive, in order to get people vaccinated as quickly as possible.

"The goal is for everyone to easily get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as large enough quantities are available," Casner said. She said, again, that unfortunately, she cannot say when that will be.

The first arrivals at the county services center Dec. 28 were frontline healthcare and EMS workers, as well as 911 dispatchers and others not affiliated with hospitals or other healthcare systems. Hospital workers began receiving vaccinations last week.

Long-term care workers are not part of the county's 1-A round of vaccines because they are state employees, Casner explained. CVS Health and Walgreens are administering their vaccines, she said.

Casner reminded county residents, "The COVID-19 vaccine is not a cure for the virus. It is another tool in the fight against COVID-19." She emphasized that residents cannot relax other safety precautions because there is now a vaccine.

Chester County health officials encourage everyone to continue to wear a mask, wash or sanitize hands often and practice 6-foot distancing to help keep the virus from spreading.

There is no cost to be vaccinated.

Casner said there is no cost for a vaccination, and no one needs health insurance to be vaccinated. Those who receive their first dose will get reminders by email or text to get their second dose.

The distribution plan is the same for Delaware County, in terms of the prioritized phases, Casner said.

The latest Chester County COVID-19 vaccination information is on the county’s COVID-19 webpages at www.chesco.org/coronavirus.