ACHD receives additional doses for vaccine clinics this week

PITTSBURGH — The Allegheny County Health Department received an additional 7,000 vaccine doses for its clinics this week.

However, adjustments will need to be make to its plan for the scheduling of second doses based on supply. This affects only those individuals who received their first doses from the Health Department.

The department announced Monday that they received approximately 7,000 doses of Moderna vaccine. Of those, approximately 4,700 are designated for first doses with another 2,300 for second doses, the department said.

Emails will be sent Monday to individuals who received their first doses at the Monroeville vaccination clinic between Jan. 27 and 30 and are due for their second doses between Feb. 24 and 27 that contain second dose registration links. Those individuals will be vaccinated Wednesday through Saturday at the Monroeville site. The links sent are for second doses only, and the doses available through these links have been set aside to fulfill second dose needs. These links are intended for use by only those individuals due for second doses at the Monroeville vaccination clinic on those days and should not be forwarded to others. Anyone who makes an appointment using one of those links who was not an intended recipient will have their appointment canceled and will be turned away at the Monroeville vaccination clinic.

If an individual is due for their second dose between Feb. 24 and 27 at the Monroeville vaccination clinic and did not receive an email containing links, they should call 2-1-1 to register for their appointment by phone.

Additional Points of Dispensing (PODs) for other Phase 1A healthcare and frontline staff that were scheduled for this week have not yet been rescheduled. As noted previously, those healthcare workers and frontline staff will receive their second dose within the CDC-recommended guidance of up to 6 weeks after the first dose.

Individuals who received their first doses at the Monroeville vaccination clinic between Feb. 1 and 6 will receive an email by the end of this week with additional information regarding their appointments. While those appointments may not be available on the 28th day, all individuals will receive their second dose within the CDC-recommended guidance of up to 6 weeks after the first dose.

There will be limited first dose appointments available at the Castle Shannon site for individuals aged 65 and older ONLY beginning Tuesday through Friday. Online links will be made available later Monday through Allegheny Alerts and will also be posted on ACHD’s vaccine page at https://alleghenycounty.us/COVIDvaccine. Appointments for individuals who do not have access to the internet may be made through 2-1-1 beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, February 23, 2021.

All appointments are for the Castle Shannon VFD Banquet Hall at 3600 Library Road. Appointments are required. There is no on-site registration or walk-up appointments. Any person arriving at the site without an appointment, or who is not 65 and older, will be turned away.

The Health Department will continue to schedule the second vaccine in the series for individuals who received their first vaccine from an ACHD POD. While the recent announcement by the state may mean that there may be some delay in when the second vaccine is administered, these potential changes remain in line with guidance from the CDC which recommends that vaccines may be administered up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose.

Anyone with questions regarding COVID-19, the vaccine or scheduling their second dose should call 2-1-1 for more information and to be connected to available resources.

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