The coronavirus vaccine has arrived in the Susquehanna Valley and is being given to frontline health care workers.Lancaster General Health began vaccinations on Thursday. The head of infectious disease, Dr. Joseph Kontra, offered his arm to be the first inoculated at LGH.”I’m thrilled to be the first person here at Lancaster General to get it. I’m honored. I thought it went real well. It didn’t hurt at all,” Kontra said.The Wellspan Health System began administering the first COVID-19 vaccinations doses today at seven of their company hospitals, including facilities in the Susquehanna Valley.Wellspan facilities in Ephrata and Gettysburg are starting vaccinations Friday. Frontline workers at the Wellspan hospitals in York, Chambersburg and Lebanon will get the shots starting Saturday.Statewide vaccine distribution planAs Pennsylvania hospitals receive vaccine shipments, the state’s focus is shifting to a larger scale rollout.Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine says long-term care facilities and nursing homes will start to receive the vaccine on Dec. 28.After that essential front line workers such as police would get the vaccine.It’s not expected that the general public will receive doses before the late spring or summer of 2021.”This is going to take time to get to everyone, to make sure that everyone who wants the vaccine can get it,” said Levine.As the distribution process unfolds, state officials say they will let the general public know how, when and where to get the vaccine.WGAL is answering other commonly asked questions about the vaccine on this page.
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY, Pa. —
The coronavirus vaccine has arrived in the Susquehanna Valley and is being given to frontline health care workers.
Lancaster General Health began vaccinations on Thursday. The head of infectious disease, Dr. Joseph Kontra, offered his arm to be the first inoculated at LGH.
“I’m thrilled to be the first person here at Lancaster General to get it. I’m honored. I thought it went real well. It didn’t hurt at all,” Kontra said.
The Wellspan Health System began administering the first COVID-19 vaccinations doses today at seven of their company hospitals, including facilities in the Susquehanna Valley.
Wellspan facilities in Ephrata and Gettysburg are starting vaccinations Friday.
Frontline workers at the Wellspan hospitals in York, Chambersburg and Lebanon will get the shots starting Saturday.
Statewide vaccine distribution plan
As Pennsylvania hospitals receive vaccine shipments, the state’s focus is shifting to a larger scale rollout.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine says long-term care facilities and nursing homes will start to receive the vaccine on Dec. 28.
After that essential front line workers such as police would get the vaccine.
It’s not expected that the general public will receive doses before the late spring or summer of 2021.
“This is going to take time to get to everyone, to make sure that everyone who wants the vaccine can get it,” said Levine.
As the distribution process unfolds, state officials say they will let the general public know how, when and where to get the vaccine.
WGAL is answering other commonly asked questions about the vaccine on this page.