‘This May 31 will look a lot different’: Allegheny Co. leaders expect mask mandate to end in weeks

PITTSBURGH — After Gov. Tom Wolf announced the state would be ending all COVID-19 mitigation efforts except for mask wearing by Memorial Day, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said he expects to reach that 70% threshold in weeks.

“This May 31 will look a lot different than last May 31,” Fitzgerald said at a news conference Wednesday. “Let’s get vaccinated. Let’s get back to normal. The path is very clear.”

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Wolf said the mask mandate will also go away once 70% of the state’s residents are fully vaccinated. Fitzgerald said recent CDC data showed there could be a rise in severe cases, deaths and hospitalizations in the portion of the population that does not get vaccinated.

The comments come after Allegheny County reported one of its lowest daily COVID-19 case counts in weeks. There were 158 new cases and 9 new deaths reported by the health department Wednesday. The 25-49 age group still made up the largest number of cases.

Vaccine myths busted

ACHD Director Dr. Debra Bogen spent a portion of the news conference dispelling vaccine myths and urging people on the fence to get it.

She said there are no microchips in any of the vaccines as there isn’t one small enough to fit inside the liquid. Bogen said there are no meat products or gelatin in any of the three approved vaccines. As for those who said there’s no reason to get the vaccine because you’ll still have to wear a mask, Bogen said there are some people who can’t get it, but having it protects yourself and others around you.

Bogen also touched on claims that the vaccine causes infertility. She said there is no evidence to support those claims, pointing out that tens of thousands of pregnant women were vaccinated with no issues. Along those lines, she brought up the issue of aborted fetal cells being used in manufacturing the vaccine. Bogen said one of the vaccines was created from a cell line that can be traced to aborted fetal cells used decades ago. Right now, none of the current vaccines contain any whole, bits or pieces of fetal cells.

Other myths she touched on included the notion that vaccines don’t work against the different variants, if you’ve had the virus you don’t need a vaccine, the mRNA will change your DNA, that young healthy people don’t need it and that the vaccines’ development was rushed meaning they’re not safe.

“There is a lot of false information about vaccines that may impact your decision,” Bogen said. “The vaccine, if enough of us get it, will allow all of us to return to normalcy.”

Pennsylvania will change masking order once more adults are vaccinated

Cox Media Group