Coronavirus Vaccine In Delaware County: Find Your Place In Line

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — With the United States preparing for a rollout of a coronavirus vaccine within the next month, the New York Times, the Surgo Foundation and Ariadne Labs have come up with a way to calculate the number of people who will need a vaccine in each state and county — and where Delaware County residents might fit in that line.

For example, an average 40-year-old Montgomery County resident with no professional or health-related special circumstances would be in line behind 268.7 million people across the United States, according to the study.

In Pennsylvania, the projection would be behind 10.6 million others who are at higher risk, in a state with a population of approximately 12.8 million. In Delaware County, 450,700 would be ahead of you in a county with some 567,279 residents.

But those caveats make a difference.

The same person with higher risk health conditions have a ticket around 975,200 in Pennsylvania and 39,500 in Delaware County. A healthy first responder would be at 903,900 on the line on the state level and 37,800 in Delaware County.

No matter what place in line you end up in, Pennsylvania has been preparing to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine for months.

Here in Pennsylvania, where a second wave of infections has seen daily positive cases escalate, officials say a vaccine could be available within the next month.

The New York Times vaccine tracker says 13 vaccines are in large-scale efficacy tests and seven have already been approved for limited use. Pfizer and Moderna are closest to completion.

Pennsylvania's department of health said it will roll out the vaccine in three phases, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The first phase will focus on health care workers, first responders, critical workers, people over age 65 and residents who live in congregate care settings.

Phase two will prioritize critical populations who have not already been vaccinated before beginning to vaccinate the general population.

In phase three, once a sufficient supply of vaccines is available, the state will focus on vaccinating the entire population of Pennsylvania. The department of health said it does not intend to make vaccinations mandatory.