Bucks and Montgomery County hospitals have started vaccinating people against the fast-spreading COVID-19 virus, but, for now, it's an invitation-only event.
Localhospitals have started scheduling appointmentsand distributing the vaccine, but some are only offering appointments topatients in their own health systems who meet the eligibility criteria, officials said.
Later this month Lower Bucks Hospital anticipates it will begin distributing the COVID-19 vaccine to the firstindividuals who signed up through Bucks County agencies.
The dates for the vaccine clinic at the Bristol Township hospital were pending as of Tuesday, spokeswoman Michelle Aliprantis said.
The hospital is scheduling patients through the Bucks County Health Improvement Project and the county Department of Health, Aliprantis said.
Only individuals who signup with those organizations and meet the1A priority criteria are eligible for an appointment, she added. This includes health care workers, those over the age of 65 and those ages 16 to 64 with pre-existing chronic health conditions.
St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown is currently running two clinics providing the vaccine to eligible community memberswho completeits Phase 1A request form online.
All applications have to be completed online and those who are eligible will get an email or phone call to schedule their vaccine, said Dr. Larry Brilliant, president of St. Mary Medical Center.
Doylestown Health is offering vaccines at itshospital and Doylestown Health Urgent Care by appointment to patients identified by its primary care physicians and specialists who are using the health system's electronic medical record system to identify and "risk-stratify" the most vulnerable patients in the 1A category, spokesman Ron Watson said.
The health care system is also onsite this weekadministering the vaccine at Grundy Hall, alow-income apartment complex for senior citizens and people with disabilities in Doylestown Township, Watson added.
Grandview Hospital in Sellersville is scheduling appointments for patients over age 75 and those at highest risk for contracting COVID-19 , spokeswoman Wendy Kaiser said.
St. Luke's Quakertown campus is prioritizing hospital-affiliated patients who are age 75 and older and working down the list as vaccine supplies allow, according to Dr. Jeffrey Jahre, seniorSenior Vice President of Medical and Academic Affairs.
As of last month St Luke's opened its vaccine pre-registration to the general public but individuals must go through the hospital's "MyChart" portal, which may require creating an account. Those who are not immediately eligible for the vaccine will receive a notification when they can schedule an appointment.
Bucks has announced that the three campuses of the Bucks County Community College — in Bristol, Newtown and East Rockhill townships — will be vaccination sites for the public and has said that there will be at least eight sites in total, but hasn't named the other locations since the vaccines are not yet available.
Bensalem Mayor Joseph DiGirolamo announced Monday night that eventually Neshaminy Mall and the township senior center could be used as vaccination sites, but also stressed they are not ready to open at this time due to a lack of supply.
More:Bensalem announces vaccine centers at Neshaminy Mall, senior center
Bucks Commissioner Bob Harvie said Monday that the state now expects to get about 175,000 doses a week and that it hopes to have more consistent data on vaccine distribution going forward as the vaccines become more readily available.
Countywide, 33,489people have been partially vaccinated in Bucks as of Tuesday. An additional 12,356people have been fully vaccinated with two shots.
In neighboring Montgomery County, Suburban Community Hospital in East Norriton will open its vaccine clinic for Montgomery County residents who meet the 1A criteria on Wednesday. Suburban Community and Lower Bucks both are owned by Prime Healthcare.
Suburban already had filled 250 scheduled vaccine appointments for Wednesday and another 250 on Thursday, Aliprantis said. Only people with pre-scheduled appointments will be accepted either day.
At Abington-Jefferson Health, appointments are available for only patients of its health care system’s doctors who meet the 1A vaccine category criteria, spokeswoman Linda Millevoi said.
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Vaccine clinics are being held at its Lansdale Hospital and Warminister outpatient clinic campus.Eligible patients receive an email from the hospital to schedule a vaccine appointment.
The email invitations are not transferable to other people, Millevoi said.
More:Vaccine registration system disappoints non-eligible Pennsylvanians with appointments
Jefferson Health has started a phased roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine for the most vulnerable patients age 65 and older.
Limited supplies mean vaccines are available on a first-come, first-served basis for those that are eligible. Jefferson is not accepting names for a waiting list.
“Due to the limited vaccines that are available, we are distributing this vaccine in the most equitable way and in accordance with Department of Health and CDC guidelines,” Millevoi said.
Reporter Peg Quann contributed to this report.
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