Clinton County lags in COVID shots

LOCK HAVEN, PA – Clinton County Commissioner Angela Harding said at Thursday’s commissioners’ meeting that the county lags behind much of the state in the percentages of its residents inoculated against COVID-19. She said 15,300 county residents have received at least one shot, putting the county 54th among 67 Pennsylvania counties, adding the county is listed as an area of high transmission for COVID.

She again asked that county residents “consider” getting vaccinated, noting that the Pfizer vaccine has recently been approved by the FDA. She provided updates on the availability of ICU beds in the region as of Tuesday of this week: UPMC Williamsport has five of 17 beds available, Geisinger Jersey Shore three of 10 available and Geisinger Danville 10 of 60 available; UPMC Lock Haven has no ICU beds, she said. She reported 80 new cases in the county between Aug. 10 and 24 and one additional death.

People are suffering, Harding said, and urged county residents to “try and stop the spread.”

The commissioners had no comment relative to their discussion last week about imposing a masking mandate for county employees and visitors and a possible vaccination mandate for county workers.