Health commissioner says it could take another 12 months to vaccinate population of Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley painted a grim outlook on the city's future as the coronavirus pandemic rages on and vaccine rollout continues.
During a response briefing on Tuesday afternoon, Dr. Farley claimed that at the current rate, it could take another 12 months to vaccinate everyone in Philadelphia.
The city's top health official described his COVID-related updates as 'mixed,' but it seemed closer to 'dismal.'
Case counts remain high, a new 'substantially more transmissible' form of the virus "may be" here, and the city is not getting enough doses of the vaccine.
"In a city of 1.6 million people, this is not enough. At this rate it will take more than 12 months to vaccinate the entire city population," Dr. Farley said.
In January, Philadelphia expects to receive just under 20,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines on a weekly basis.
Dr. Farley insists the issue regarding the number of doses is not unique to Philadelphia.
"We're getting the same per capita as every other place in the country. There's not enough doses to go around the country," he said.
Of the doses the city has already received, only 39% are in people's arms. Dr. Farley says the process is slow and complex.
If there is good news, Dr. Erica Harris has it.
"I feel like I have now, not just a thin layer between me and contracting COVID. I have a little more to protect me-looking at my patients I want them to get the vaccine next," explained Dr. Harris, who works in Einstein's emergency room.
Dr. Harris received her first shot of vaccine in mid-December just after the first box rolled into the North Philadelphia hospital and was placed in a deep freeze.
She's scheduled to receive her second shot on Thursday and believes the population Einstein serves is in need of early vaccination.
"I hope it’s taken into consideration that people who have the most need, have suffered the greatest. I hope that’s considered when we’re giving out the vaccine," Dr. Harris said.
Philadelphia is preaching patience to residents anxious for their vaccinations and asking them to keep their distance and mask up in the meantime.
"It’s a strange disease, causes a lot of suffering and often times there's not much we can do for it, and that’s painful to watch as somebody who's trained to do something for people," Dr. Harris said.
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