Vaccines The Top Topic At Commissioners’ Work Session

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

Though it seems that the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer in regards to the coronavirus, the traffic in the tunnel hasn’t been passed by just yet.

Commissioner Chairman Dan Camp announced that over 1,000 vaccines were administered in Beaver County on this past Thursday and Friday by Heritage Valley, and “they are scheduled to do another vaccine distribution on February 9, 10, and 11 at the [CCBC] dome.”

Camp also addressed the recent news regarding the Pennsylvania pharmacies getting involved with their own vaccine distribution: “From my understanding, they have a pretty intense rollout, as well as Heritage Valley…I would rather personally see one distribution. If it was Heritage Valley, they could work with these pharmacies and have different areas in the county.”

Commissioner Jack Manning was also concerned about the vaccine distribution, but his was based on recent phone calls to his office in regards to access for those who may lack resources.

“Got a couple calls from people in our under-served communities, particularly African-American communities, and their ability to have access to the system either through transportation or otherwise,” Manning said. “The African-American community has been hit hard with so many deaths across the country from the impact of COVID…I’m still concerned a little bit about the rollout and making sure that’s it being done equitable and in a way that is serving all the communities.”

Despite these concerns though, the Commissioners empathize and remain willing to work with the process, because as Camp says “At the end of the day, we need the vaccines here.”