Sign Up For A Vaccine In Chester County: Update

WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County residents spent the week inquiring about how to get on a vaccine list after the Pennsylvania Department of Health moved 90,000 people here into the Phase 1A category on Tuesday.

The short answer is: Register on the county website, re-register if you are 16-64 with a health condition, and wait to be contacted. The wait, said the Chester County Health Department, is not for Chester County to be ready, but for vaccine supply to arrive.

It took Chester County a few days to set up an online registration process so that residents can let the health department know they are interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. With registration information, the Chester County Health Department identifies if a resident is in Phase 1A, 1B, 1C, or in a Phase 2 category.

Chester County today issued a news release saying "residents of Chester County can now pre-register for the COVID-19 vaccine by completing a form found on the Chester County Health Department’s COVID-19 web page."

The form for all 16 and over who live and work in Chester County can be found at www.chesco.org/covidvaccine, the news release said.

Completing the form registers a person's interest in receiving the vaccine, and the information provided helps the Health Department to place each individual into the Phase 1A, 1B, 1C and Phase 2 categories.

The recent change in Phase 1A groups, announced earlier this week by the PA Department of Health, led the Chester County Health Department to revise its original pre-registration survey, moving it away from just Phase 1A and 1B, and opening pre-registration to all who live and work in Chester County.

Many residents this week asked if they needed to re-register now since the changes were announced to who was included in Phase 1A.

Chester County Health Department Director Jeanne Casner provided an answer this morning, telling those between 16-64 years old with medical conditions to re-register.

"The information we have collected for everyone who has already pre-registered their interest in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine remains in our database. But because of the Commonwealth's changes in Phase 1A groups, we are asking everyone who falls into the group defined as 'age 16-64 with medical conditions,' to complete the form again, to ensure they are moved to Phase 1A," the health department director said.

Casner said, "Everyone who has submitted — or will be submitting — a pre-registration form will receive a confirmation of receipt, and will then receive regular updates on the status of vaccine distribution in Chester County, until such time as they are asked to schedule a vaccination appointment."

The Chester County Health Department said it is continuing to process the impact of the recent changes made by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, moving those over the age of 65 and those 16-64 with certain medical conditions into Phase 1A.

This change adds more than 90,000 eligible people to Phase 1A in Chester County, Casner reported.

On average, the Chester County Health Department has received 2,000 doses per week, and in total, the county has been averaging receipt of 6,000 doses of the vaccine each week, divided among all providers.

"The increase in Phase 1A eligibility hasn't come with an increase in vaccine doses," said Casner.

"In fact, we have been told there will likely be vaccine shortages, and just this week only received half of our requested doses — 2,500 instead of 5,000," she said.

The shortage of vaccine is not exclusive to Chester County. All other regions within Pennsylvania — and the nation — are currently affected by the lack of vaccine supply.

The Chester County Health Department opens appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine based on the availability of vaccine doses to administer. Additional vaccination sites, beyond the current site at the Chester County Government Services Center in West Chester, have been secured and will begin operating over the next few weeks, but only as vaccine supplies allow, Casner said.

As of Jan. 15, a total of 9,304 vaccine doses have been administered in Chester County.

For Chester County’s comprehensive COVID-19 information and updates, including testing locations and times, data and mapping, as well as vaccine information, go to www.chesco.org/coronavirus.