County Expects To Administer 6,000 Vaccine Doses This Week

Bucks County officials expect their vaccination clinics to ramp up this week as more supplies are received.

“Buoyed by increased supplies of vaccine in recent days, Bucks County officials hope to double the number of shots given this week at the county’s three COVID immunization clinics,” the county said in a statement.

This week, the county expects to receive about 6,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, a roughly 27 percent increase over the previous week.

The appointment-only, county-overseen clinics are at Bucks County Community College’s main campus in Newtown Township, Bucks County Community College’s Upper Bucks Campus outside of Perkasie, and Bucks County Community College’s Gene and Marlene Epstein Campus at Lower Bucks on Veterans Highway in Bristol Township. The clinics have been operating since last month and currently have the capacity to vaccinate up to 15,000 people per week.

While county officials have the capacity to open up to six vaccination clinics, they have stuck to the three current locations due to limited vaccine supply.

The Bucks County Health Department reported that 11,028 doses of vaccine were administered last week. Of that number, 2,975 jabs took place at county sites run by AMI Expeditionary Healthcare through a contract.

Last week, the county received 4,700 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Countywide, 11,540 doses were provided to medical practices, pharmacies, and hospitals for their vaccination efforts, which are largely separate from the county’s operation, according to state and county data.

According to state data, Bucks County has seen 37,363 people partially vaccinated and 32,809 fully vaccinated as of Monday, totaling 70,172. Bucks County has a population just over 628,200. 

See The State’s Multi-Phase Vaccination Plan

The county has more than 185,000 people on their COVID-19 vaccine waiting list. Those who wish to register can do so at the county website.

An analysis by the Philadelphia Inquirer found Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties were receiving less doses of vaccine per capita than many smaller and more rural counties. Bucks County, which is the fourth largest by population, ranked 34 out of 66 counties in the state in doses received per population. The 67th county, Philadelphia, receives its vaccinates separate from the rest of the state due to its size.

Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, a Democrat from Delaware County, told the newspaper that she requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency to improve vaccine distribution in the Philadelphia suburbs.

The single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine was issued emergency use authorization in recent days by federal regulators. As many as 20 million doses are expected to be distributed throughout the country by the end of March.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the state was discussing making teachers eligible for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine when it becomes available, citing a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Republicans caucus.

Ways residents can help reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Wear a mask properly when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.

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