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Gov. Wolf indicates state’s vaccination phases could go away with Biden’s goal of open eligibility

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Gov. Tom Wolf indicated the state’s vaccination phases could go away as his administration sets its sights on President Biden’s goal of having everyone eligible by May 1. He said the goal “really throws out the whole 1A, 1B, 1C thing.”

According to our partners at TribLive.com, 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 by May 1.”

Wolf said the vaccine landscape shifted once the Johnson & Johnson vaccine came on the market. Around the same time, shipments of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were ramping up.

Wolf’s comments come as states across the country are opening vaccine eligibility to everyone. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine announced last week that any resident 16 or older who wants the vaccine will be able to make an appointment. Alaska did away with groups earlier this month, opening it up to anyone who wanted it. Mississippi and West Virginia have also followed suit. Officials in Georgia and Texas said this week they’re opening eligibility in their states by the end of the month.

“We’re not that far away from opening it up to all of those people. We want to do it in a thoughtful and methodical way,” said State Rep. Tim O’Neal.

O’Neal is part of the governor’s vaccine task force and said it will be discussed at their meeting next week.