(Photo provided with release)

(Pittsburgh, Pa.)  Allegheny Health Network (AHN) began administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines today to newly-eligible children following emergency use authorization by the FDA and subsequent recommendation by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Saturday for children 6 months through 5 years old.

Pfizer’s vaccine is administered in three doses for children 6 months to 4 years old. The shots are dosed at 3 micrograms, one-tenth the level of what adults receive. In clinical trials, three shots were about 75% effective at preventing mild illness from the omicron variant in 6-month- to 2-year-olds and 82% effective in 2- to 4-year-olds.

Moderna’s vaccine is administered in two doses for children 6 months to 5 years old. The shots are dosed at 25 micrograms, one-fourth the level that adults receive. Moderna’s vaccine was about 51% effective at preventing mild illness from omicron for kids 6 months to 2 years old, and about 37% effective for kids ages 2 to 5 years old in clinical trials. However, the company expects the vaccine to provide strong protection against severe illness because the kids had higher antibody levels than adults who received two doses.

Although COVID-19 is normally less severe in children than adults, the virus can be life threatening for some kids. COVID is the fifth leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4, according to CDC data. More than 200 children ages 6 months to 4 years old have died from COVID since January 2020. More than 2 million children in this age group have been infected during the pandemic, and more than 20,000 have been hospitalized.

“The availability of a vaccine for children 6 months and older is another important milestone in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. On behalf of Allegheny Health Network, we are strongly encouraging parents and guardians to get their younger children vaccinated and protected against serious illness from the disease,” said Joseph Aracri, DO, pediatrician and Chair of AHN Pediatric Institute.

AHN Pediatrics or AHN family medicine patients should call their respective office to schedule an appointment. For all others interested in scheduling with the Network, please call (412) DOCTORS.

For more information on AHN or to access COVID-19 FAQs, please visit ahn.org/coronavirus/vaccine

(Pittsburgh, PA ) PennDOT District 11 is announcing work to inspect the inbound (eastbound) I-376 Fort Pitt Bridge in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, will occur Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26 weather permitting.

(Photo Provided with Release)

Keystone State News Connection

June 24, 2022

Poll: Pennsylvanians Over 50 will Play Major Role in November Election

Emily Scott

There are fewer than five months to go until the November General Election, in which Pennsylvania voters will select a new governor and U.S. Senator.

A new poll commissioned by AARP Pennsylvania showed how residents over 50 are feeling about the candidates and the issues. In the 2018 midterm elections, Pennsylvanians age 50 years and older made up 61% of all voters in the state.

The AARP poll includes views about this year’s political races, including the contest for governor, with Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Sen, Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin. Shapiro leads Mastriano by three points.

Bob Ward, partner and pollster at Fabrizio Ward, said for voters over 50, it is an even closer race.

“There’s a one-point lead for Shapiro over Mastriano,” Ward reported. “And so, 50-plus voters, due to their size but also sort of the competitive nature of where the election is in the governor’s race, will be impactful. Candidates need to pay attention to what’s important to these voters.”

In the Senate race, Democratic Lieutenant Gov. John Fetterman has a six percentage-point lead over Republican TV personality Mehmet Oz. And 77% of those polled believe the state is “moving in the wrong direction.”

Some 30% of Pennsylvania voters polled said the economy is working well for them. However, one of their biggest concerns, which may influence their votes in November, is rising prices. For Republicans polled, it is their highest priority, while Democrats cite gun safety as their top issue.

Matt Hogan, partner and pollster at Impact Research, said the results also show inflation is still a cross-party worry.

“When we test it on its own and ask them to rate the importance, we certainly see it’s a dominant issue with Democrats as well, it just doesn’t rise to quite the top when we ask them to pick which is the most important,” Hogan explained. “We definitely see a surge in guns [as an important issue] following Uvalde.”

Other issues emerging as important to voters include immigration for Republicans, and abortion access and honesty in government for Democrats. The survey, which reached nearly 1,400 likely Pennsylvania voters, was conducted this month via landline, cellphone and text message.

(Lizabeth Baker Wade via AP)

Keystone State News Connection

June 23, 2022

Emily Scott

Since the beginning of the pandemic, several states have passed “safe staffing” laws aimed at balancing patient-nurse ratios in hospitals. In Pennsylvania, health care advocates are calling on lawmakers to vote on legislation still stalled in committee.

Senate Bill 240, also known as the Patient Safety Act, would establish limits to the number of patients one nurse is responsible for during a shift.

Maureen May, president of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, said it is about ensuring positive outcomes for patients.

“I want to be in a hospital bed in which I know that there are enough nurses to care for me and my family members,” May asserted. “I want to be a nurse that works in a hospital and walks away from the bedside at the end of the day and know that I did everything I could to make sure my patients received the best care possible.”

Many health care system administrators oppose safe-staffing legislation, saying it is costly to their bottom line. Senate Bill 240 and its companion House Bill 106, which has more than 100 co-sponsors, have been referred to each chamber’s health committees and await a vote.

Sen. Maria Collett, D-Montgomery County, said the pandemic exposed the cracks in the health care system and the need for legislation such as the Patient Safety Act. She stressed it has been disappointing to see the legislation stalled by a few lawmakers, given the bipartisan support for the bill.

“If you’re someone that’s not going to stand with nurses, that’s not going to stand with patients, then put your name on the record,” Collett urged. “Vote no on this bill because the people in our communities deserve to know where we stand when it comes to protecting patient outcomes and protecting the hardworking nursing staff.”

A 2017 study found patients were much more likely to survive when nurses followed a hospital-mandated patient-nurse ratio. Lower patient-to-nurse staffing ratios also have been associated with significantly lower rates of cardiac arrest, hospital-acquired pneumonia, respiratory failure and patient falls.

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(West Mifflin, Pa.) Guests at Kennywood, Sandcastle Waterpark, and Idlewild & SoakZone will soon find a more efficient, convenient, and visitor-friendly process to pay for park tickets and treats.

Beginning Tuesday, June 28 at Kennywood and Sandcastle and Wednesday, June 29 at Idlewild & SoakZone, the parks will accept credit, debit and prepaid cards or secure mobile payments only. The switch allows for a smoother and safer experience for guests, who can make payments with cards in addition to using secure mobile payment systems such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. Kennywood, Sandcastle and Idlewild accept all major credit and prepaid debit cards including MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover.

Guests that prefer cash have no cause for concern: they can use new, free Cash to Card Kiosks conveniently located throughout each park to convert up to $500 cash onto a prepaid card. This prepaid card can be used to purchase tickets and frequent stores and stands throughout the park. The cards can also be used outside the park anywhere cards are accepted. There is no fee to convert cash onto a card.

“By transitioning to solely accepting cards or secure mobile payments, we can provide a better, more efficient experience to our guests,” says Kennywood & Sandcastle General Manager Mark Pauls. “We expect to see wait times decrease for food and retail stores, and have added several Cash to Card Kiosks throughout each park to provide guests a simple and easy way to convert their cash onto a card.”

For full details and a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding this new program, visit Kennywood.com/Cashless, SandcastleWaterpark.com/Cashless, or Idlewild.com/Cashless.

(File Photo)

(New Brighton, Pa.) The New Brighton Borough Real Estate Tax Office will be closed until Friday, July 1, 2022.  Modified summer hours will resume on July 8 , 2022 with the office being open on Fridays from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM and the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM.