Gov. Wolf hints that vaccination phases could fade in light of open eligibility goal

Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday indicated Pennsylvania’s phased approach to vaccinations could be fading as the administration sets its sights on President Biden’s goal of open eligibility by May 1.

He said the vaccine landscape “changed a little bit” when the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine received emergency authorization. As that was happening, shipments of the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines continued to increase, meaning those doses could continue to go to those in the “traditional 1A” while the Johnson & Johnson doses could go toward other groups.

“Johnson & Johnson gave us the chance to say, ‘OK, the president is now saying educators ought to be prioritized.’ We did that,” Wolf said. He noted an announcement last week that upcoming Johnson & Johnson shipments will go to certain groups of essential workers, like first responders, grocery store employees and food production workers.

Wolf said his real hope is to meet the president’s latest goal of fully opening vaccine eligibility by May 1. He said that goal “really throws out the whole 1A, 1B, 1C thing.”

“I think he’s right,” Wolf said of the May 1 goal. “The goal should be to get to that point as quickly as possible so it’s open to everybody.

“In a perfect world, that will be the next phase,” he said.

In a follow-up statement, Lyndsay Kensinger, a spokeswoman for Wolf’s office, said the state is following the efforts outlined earlier this month and “is taking aggressive steps to meet the Biden Administration’s goal of making every American adult eligible to receive a vaccine by May 1.”

Pennsylvania’s vaccination phases have shifted in definition since the first doses reached the state in December. A three-phase approach became two phases with subsets. Phase 1A, initially reserved for health care workers, expanded to include residents aged 75 and up. That phase expanded again to align with federal guidance moving anyone aged 65 and up and those 16 to 64 with certain conditions into the first priority group.

In early March, the Wolf administration announced it would follow President Biden’s push to prioritize teachers, earmarking the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine for the state’s educators, aides, bus drivers and other staff.

Wolf and health officials said March 12 that anyone in Phase 1A who wants to be vaccinated should be able to have an appointment on the books by the month’s end. On the same day, officials also pledged to elevate the priority of certain essential workers and doubled down on meeting the May 1 open eligibility goal.

Wolf’s comments come as several states across the country have opened vaccine eligibility to anyone who wants one.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced last week the vaccine would be available to any resident aged 16 or older beginning March 29. Earlier this week, he gave providers the go-ahead to make appointments now for anyone 16 and older if they’re having trouble filling their schedules, according to ABC6.

“While there are many places where there is a great demand for the vaccine, we do have some providers who are having a hard time filling appointments,” DeWine said, according to the television station. “If a local health department or hospital is not filling all their slots this week, they may book with anyone 16 and older.”

Alaska became the first state to do away with prioritization groups, opening eligibility to those 16 and up on March 9. Mississippi followed on March 16, then West Virginia March 22.

Officials in Georgia and Texas announced earlier this week they’d open eligibility in their respective states by the end of the month.

Wolf on Thursday also touted the state’s jump to 17th in the country in terms of percentage of the population at least partially vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It came the same day the state surpassed 1 million cases since the pandemic began.

Hours after Wolf’s remarks, Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam issued an order directing vaccine providers to work more closely with local organizations – Area Agencies on Aging and Medicaid managed care organizations – to help people get appointments.

“We continue to hear from seniors and those with certain medical conditions who are eligible to be vaccinated in Phase 1A that they are still struggling to sign up to get vaccinated,” Beam said.

The order indicates providers like hospitals, pharmacies and clinics should make efforts that include setting aside a certain number of appointments for people seeking them through an Area Agency on Aging or managed care organization.

Beam noted there are around 2 million Pennsylvanians aged 65 and up. As of last, week about 1.3 million in that category have been vaccinated, she said.