Alison Beam, the new face of the PA Departement of Health.
Even with a mask a tremendous improvement over Dr. Levine!
Posted on 02/04/2021 1:32:54 PM PST by lightman
Pennsylvania’s top COVID-19 vaccination official on Thursday said the state has begun examining how quickly providers are getting doses into peoples’ arms and will begin to favor those that do better.
“We’re narrowing in on a strategy that will allocate this vaccine to providers that really rewards those that can do it efficiently, do it effectively, meaning getting that second dose in there, and then report back to us as quickly as possible so we can get an understanding of the data,” said Alison Beam, Pennsylvania’s acting secretary of health.
Beam testified before a Republican-led state Senate committee on Thursday, discussing the vaccine rollout and answering questions for nearly 90 minutes.
Beam also said the state health department is asking CVS and Walgreens to “dedicate more resources” to vaccinating residents and staff at long-term care facilities.
The two national chains have a federal contract to handle vaccinations at the long-term care facilities. Senators from both parties on Thursday expressed concern about the pace of vaccination in long-term care, saying Pennsylvania lags behind multiple states.
According to Beam, the two chains have given first doses at the 650 skilled nursing home they’re responsible for and expect to finish with second doses by around the beginning of March. They also have begun vaccinations at assisted living and personal care facilities, with that effort process expected to take until mid-April.
But according to Beam, the state isn’t satisfied with the pace.
“We actually are having conversations, even this afternoon, with them to outline our expectations, our accountability, and make sure they move as quickly as possible to deliver on that mission,” she said.
Beam was pressed by Republican state Sen. Michele Brooks on the lag between when Pennsylvania receives doses and when the shots are given to people.
She acknowledged a lag, but said much of it has to do with delays necessitated by planning and delays in reporting shots given.
Beam, in her explanation, also stressed that Pennsylvania is designating a set amount of doses to be used as second doses, since the two presently available vaccines require two doses to be fully effective.
“There are some states that have pushed second doses as first doses, to get volume. That is not Pennsylvania,” she said.
The second doses are coming from the federal government, as opposed to Pennsylvania storing them, or providers needing to set aside second doses. Beam indicated that some providers may be saving doses for later, and said her department is stressing to them they don’t need to hold back doses, and second doses will arrive when needed.
State Sen. Maria Collett, a Democrat, cited “incredible frustration and lack of transparency” related to the rollout. She also said some providers are giving vaccine to people who aren’t part of Phase 1a, which is supposed to include only people who are at highest risk because of age, medical condition or being a health care worker.
Beam said, as part of the accountability effort, the state is looking at whether providers are complying with Phase 1a.
While members of both parties grilled Beam, they also told her job is perhaps the hardest and most important in the state and they thanked her, saying the goal of the hearing is to find ways to improve the process.
There was acknowledgment that the available supply of vaccine is the biggest present obstacle to vaccinating more people.
Beam said Pennsylvania expected to receive 166,376 first doses this week, and expects 175,175 doses next week. Pennsylvania has about four million people in Phase 1a, state officials have said.
As of mid-week, about 2.1 million doses of vaccine had been distributed to Pennsylvania, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The amount given to Pennsylvania is the fifth most in the country. Pennsylvania has distributed about 1.2 million doses, also the fifth most.
Pennsylvania also ranked fifth most for the number of people who have received at least one dose, about 917,000, and the number given two doses, about 238,000, according to the CDC.
However, Pennsylvania’s rollout is slow according to some analysts. For example, Becker’s Hospital Review as of mid-week ranked ranked Pennsylvania 40th for its percent of distributed doses that have been administered, with about 59%. For comparison, West Virginia, which is being held up as a model of vaccination efficiency, has given out about 82% of its doses, according to Becker’s.
Beam on Thursday said the state’s short-term plan is to shift more vaccine to providers who have proven capable of vaccinating large volumes of people. She acknowledged those might not be the most convenient providers for some Pennsylvanians.
However, she said that when the supply expands, there will be a greater focus on convenience, including providing more vaccine to smaller, local providers such as pharmacies.
The effort, when the supply improves, will also involve the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency working with counties and local communities to hold community vaccination clinics, Beam said.
Alison Beam, the new face of the PA Departement of Health.
Even with a mask a tremendous improvement over Dr. Levine!
Pennsylvania Ping!
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Well if you promise.....
Sounds like they are updating their kickback schemes.
That’s the Pa government inaction.
Not a typo.
PA, my birth state and always home to me, is now a total sh*tshow.
This is the legacy of Dr. Rachel Levine who was incompetent along with the Secretary of State who destroyed Pennsylvania’s election process and made Pennsylvania the premiere example of election fraud in 2020.
Biden has promoted Levine to be a member of his administration. They deserve each other.
Any comment would earn me a “vacation”.
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