Philly Opening Coronavirus Vaccines To All Residents April 19

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia will begin offering the coronavirus vaccine to all residents on April 19, officials announced Tuesday.

Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley Tuesday said every Philadelphian older than 16 years will be eligible to receive the vaccine on that date.

The city's move to Phase 2 on April 19 is in line with the state's timeline and with President Joe Biden's directive.

However, Farley cautioned that not everyone who is eligible will be able to get vaccinated right away due to limited supply. With increasing case counts and hospitalizations, health officials strongly recommend everyone over the age of 65 get vaccinated as quickly as possible.

Nearly a quarter of all Philadelphia residents have at least been partially vaccinated.

As of Tuesday, the CDC reports 16.7 percent of Philadelphia residents have been fully vaccinated. Farley said 25 percent of residents have received at least the first dose, with 561,564 partial vaccinations on record.

Farley said the Esperanza Academy Charter High School will open as a Type 2 vaccination site Friday, providing vaccines six days a week. The site will be run by the Pennsylvania National Guard and will initially provide 1,000 doses a day and later 2,500 doses daily.

Vaccines at that site will be available by appointment and walk-ins.

The city is also expanding who will be vaccinated in the Phase 1C group next week.

While only a portion of the Phase 1C group is being vaccinated now, the rest of the group will be eligible starting Monday next week, Farley said.

Below are those who will be eligible in Phase 1C next week:

• People receiving home and community-based services as defined by the PA Dept of Human Services
• Landscaping workers
• Government workers
• Elections workers
• Social services workers
• Unpaid caregivers of medically vulnerable people
• Higher education staff
• Finance: public facing, non-remote positions in the finance industry
• Transportation workers such as airport and train workers and taxi or rideshare drivers
• Construction workers
• IT & telecommunications workers
• Members of the press
• Legal industry
• Public health workers

Until Monday, sanitation workers, maintenance and janitorial staff, utility workers, as well as postal and package delivery workers are eligible in Phase 1C.