City Health officials announced that as Philadelphia moves to Phase 1C, four new groups in Philadelphia have become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
Those newly eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine are:
- Sanitation workers
- Maintenance and janitorial staff
- Utility workers
- Postal and package delivery workers
The Health Department has demanded vaccine providers, including pharmacies, to allow these prioritized groups to set appointments.
Other groups prioritized in Phase 1C, including those in higher education, public-facing finance roles, transportation ( airport and train workers, and taxi and rideshare workers), construction, telecommunications and IT, the press, the legal industry, and public health workers will be made eligible later this month.
Phase 1C is starting four weeks after the city entered Phase 1B. On March 10, healthy Philadelphians ages 65 to 74 years old became eligible for the coronavirus vaccination.
According to NBC Philadelphia, residents in the expanded age group should register on the official vaccine interest form to be added to the vaccination queue. After registering, they will receive notification from the city in the coming days or weeks when it is time to schedule their first vaccination appointment.
You can read: Seventh mass vaccination site to be opened in Northeast Philadelphia
There are now over 220 locations, including pharmacies, hospitals and the FEMA mass vaccination site at the Pennsylvania Convention Center where vaccine doses are now available.
Vaccination accelerated
Phase 1C expanded availability comes after Pennsylvania officials said the state would open its eligibility to all residents ages 16 and older, starting Monday, April 19.
Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam said the new timeline is possible because the state’s rate of vaccinations has accelerated. “The vaccine landscape continues to evolve as the federal government is increasing allocations to more retail pharmacy chains across the country,” Beam said in a statement.
“To ensure that vaccine continues to get to people efficiently and equitably, Pennsylvania is adapting its plan to allow workers in targeted industries to access any of the three vaccines,” Beam added.
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