Town hall addresses vaccine issues

By ERIC SEIVERLING

eseiverling@yourmvi.com

Mon Valley residents had their COVID-19 vaccination questions answered Thursday as state Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll Township, held a virtual town hall meeting along with local health care officials.

Bartolotta was joined by Mon Valley Hospital President and CEO Lou Panza, Senate Health and Human Services Committee Executive Director Joan Bradbury and Washington Health System President and CEO Brook Ward.

Topics included moving school teachers and staff to the top of the vaccination list, how soon people who contracted COVID-19 should get vaccinated, whether people from outside Pennsylvania are allowed into the state to get vaccinated, whether allergy patients can get vaccinated and how can people without computer access sign up to get vaccinated.

Bartolotta moderated the event and her guests began with vaccination updates.

Bradbury said many people ask her if they have a choice between taking the Pfizer shot or the Moderna variant.

“More than likely, you won’t have a choice,” she said. “It’s determined by availability.”

Bradbury said the Pfizer vaccination requires a second shot 21 days after the initial vaccination, while the Moderna shot’s follow-up is required 28 days after the first shot.

Panza said MVH has completed its phase of vaccinations for its frontline employees and is now focused on the public list of Phase 1A, which recently expanded to include people age 65 and older and people between the ages of 16 and 64 with health conditions such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, heart conditions and many others.

Panza said the hospital can vaccinate up to 350 people a day.

“We want to see as many people as possible vaccinated,” he said.

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