Vaccine eligibility expanded at Allegheny County sites

The Allegheny County Health Department once again is expanding vaccine eligibility at county-run sites, effective immediately, to everyone in Phase 1A.

The department had been vaccinating people 65 and older until last Friday, when eligibility was expanded to include people 50-64 with certain medical conditions. This marks the second eligibility expansion the county health department has made in less than a week.

Beginning immediately, the department also will vaccinate people between 16-64 who have Phase 1A medical conditions.

Medical conditions included in Pennsylvania’s Phase 1A include cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, obesity and several others.

“We are thrilled and relieved to see that we have reached 65% of those aged 65 and older who live in the county with vaccination, and the 50 to 64 age group with underlying health conditions is also well on its way to being vaccinated with 35% of that population having received at least one shot,” said Dr. Debra Bogen, the county’s health director. “As vaccines become more plentiful, we are seeing the demand in these age groups lessen as well and so are again expanding eligibility for the county’s (points of dispensing) to be able to vaccinate even more in our community.”

Appointments are required for all county sites, which include the Castle Shannon VFD Banquet Hall, Central Baptist Church in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, Peterson Events Center in Oakland and the Ross Community Center gymnasium in Ross Township. The health department is finalizing plans for a site in the Mon Valley and in the western portion of the county.

Appointments through April 2 were made available earlier this week. Appointments are announced through Allegheny Alerts and then posted on the county’s Covid Vaccine page. Residents also can schedule over the phone through the department’s 2-1-1 line.

The county will launch a new vaccine registration system, for appointments after April 2, next week.