Three out of four adults in Pennsylvania have now had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to state data.
Statewide, 74.7% of those 18 and over have now received at least one shot, the Pennsylvania Department of Health said Thursday. And 59.2% of the state’s adults are now fully vaccinated, the health department says.
Across Pennsylvania, 62% of the state’s population has had at least one dose of the COVID-19, which ranks 8th in the nation, according to the daily tracker by The New York Times. Health officials continue to stress the importance of getting vaccinated to offer the best protection from COVID-19 and its variants.
With more people being vaccinated, fewer people are requiring hospital care for COVID-19. There are 380 people being treated in hospitals for COVID-19, according to the health department’s online tracker. At the peak, more than 6,300 people were hospitalized with the virus.
For the first time in months, there are no Pennsylvania counties seeing high spread of COVID-19, Gov. Tom Wolf’s office said last week. The percentage of positive COVID-19 tests dropped to 1.4% for the week of June 11-17.
On Monday, June 28, the state’s mask order will end. In recent weeks, the state has followed federal guidance saying fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks. Many businesses, including grocery stores and restaurants, are no longer requiring guests to wear masks.
Last month, Pennsylvania Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam said the mask order could end earlier, if 70% of the state’s adults were fully vaccinated. It’ll take a bit longer for the state to hit that mark but Beam has said the mask order would end by June 28 at the latest.
Municipalities, businesses and schools can choose to require masks if they wish, state officials have said.
The health department reported 221 additional positive cases of COVID-19 Thursday, bringing the statewide total to 1,211,041.
The department reported 15 new deaths Thursday. There have been 27,627 deaths in Pennsylvania tied to COVID-19. About half of the state’s COVID-19 deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes.
Most of those who are infected suffer relatively mild symptoms and many never get sick at all. But health professionals warn the virus poses risks to everyone, particularly seniors and those with certain health conditions.
Medical professionals say those experiencing flu-like symptoms should be tested for COVID-19.
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