Nearly Half Of All PA Counties Meet CDC COVID-19 Mask Threshold

PENNSYLVANIA — Three more counties in the state are reporting either high or substantial community spread of the coronavirus, according to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That means residents of 28 of the state's 67 counties should wear masks indoors even if fully vaccinated, according to CDC recommendations.

The three additional counties are Westmoreland and Venango in western Pennsylvania and York and in the eastern part of the state.

The CDC statistics cover the July 27-Aug. 2 period. In the July 26-Aug. 1 period, 25 counties had high or substantial spread; just nine counties were in those categories in the July 25-31 period.

The CDC and other health organizations have emphasized that people getting vaccinated is the best way to slow community transmission of the virus.

The national average of adults that have received at least one dose of the vaccine is 69.9 percent. In Crawford, the only county with a high transmission spread, the percentage is 53.9 percent.

As of Aug. 1, 61.9 percent of Pennsylvania residents age 18 and older have been fully vaccinated.

Here are the one-dose adult vaccination rates for the 28 counties with substantial spread:

• Clarion: 47.3 percent.

• Beaver: 49.2 percent.

• Indiana: 49.7 percent.

• Somerset: 52.1 percent.

• Clearfield: 54 percent.

• Lawrence: 54.3 percent.

• Warren: 57.1 percent.

• Adams: 57.6 percent.

• Lebanon: 61.9 percent.

• Pike: 62.1 percent.

• Armstrong: 63 percent.

• Monroe: 64.2 percent.

• York: 64.9 percent.

• Westmoreland: 65.2 percent.

• Wyoming: 66.8 percent.

• Butler 67.3 percent.

• Luzerne: 69 percent.

• Dauphin: 70.3 percent.

• Lancaster: 70.3 percent.

• Philadelphia: 72.4 percent.

• Washington: 74.2 percent.

• Allegheny: 78.3 percent.

• Bucks: 80.9 percent.

• Northampton: 82.2 percent.

• Delaware: 82.7 percent.

• Montgomery: 95.7 percent.

The percentage for Venango was not available on the CDC website.

(Graphic: CDC)

Community transmission spread key:
Red: High.
Brown: Substantial.
Yellow: Moderate.
Blue: Low.

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