Pennsylvania’s positive test rate for the coronavirus is still dropping, continuing a pattern over the past two months, Gov. Tom Wolf’s office said Monday.
The positive test rate for COVID-19 fell to 6.5% for the week of Feb. 12-Feb. 18, down from 8% during the previous week. The positive test rate has now dropped for 10 consecutive weeks after reaching a high of 16.2% in December. The declining positive test rate is an encouraging sign, but health officials have said a positive test rate higher than 5% is a source of concern.
While the majority of Pennsylvania’s counties are still showing a substantial spread of the virus, the number of counties with high transmission is also dropping. For the first time in weeks, more than a third of the state’s counties are no longer seeing substantial spread of COVID-19.
Statewide, 40 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are still showing substantial spread, according to Wolf’s office. The Wolf administration uses three categories to gauge the transmission of COVID-19: low, moderate and substantial.
Last week, the Wolf administration said there was substantial spread in 51 counties. There had been substantial transmission in every county of the state through much of December and January.
“Following these proven public health practices, our mitigation orders, and most importantly, the resilience of our fellow Pennsylvanians to unite against COVID-19, Pennsylvania is seeing encouraging data relating to less COVID-19 spread within the community as we report lowered statewide positivity rates as well as lowered case counts,” Wolf said in a statement.
Still, Wolf urged residents to continue measures such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. And he also implored residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine “when you are eligible.”
A closer look
Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations have been dropping in recent weeks. Less than 2,000 people are being treated for COVID-19 in hospitals, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Earlier this winter, the number of hospitalizations peaked at more than 6,300.
State officials have urged school officials to evaluate the extent of community spread of COVID-19 in determining whether students should be in school or educated remotely. Still, local school leaders retain the authority to decide if schools should hold classes in person, remotely or with a hybrid approach.
Only three counties have low transmission of COVID-19, but 24 counties are now in the moderate range. Here’s a look at the level of transmission in Pennsylvania’s counties.
Low: Cameron, Fulton and Sullivan
Moderate: Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Fayette, Indiana, Jefferson, Mercer, Montgomery, Potter, Somerset, Susquehanna, Tioga, Venango, Warren, Washington, Westmoreland and Wyoming
Substantial: Adams, Beaver, Berks, Bradford, Bucks, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clinton, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Forest, Franklin, Greene, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mifflin, Monroe, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, Snyder, Union, Wayne and York
COVID-19 vaccines
Pennsylvania’s vaccine rollout has been the source of much criticism, with lawmakers and advocates for seniors saying the state’s distribution has proceeded too slowly.
The rollout suffered another setback last week when state officials said some providers mistakenly gave out second doses of the Moderna vaccine as first doses (both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require two shots). As a result, tens of thousands could be delayed in getting first or second doses of the Moderna vaccine, officials said. And the winter storms have also delayed some shipments, state officials said late last week.
Pennsylvania had some encouraging news on vaccine Monday. The state said it will get 225,890 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine this week, about 40,000 more first doses than last week.
More than 915,000 Pennsylvanians have contracted the coronavirus and more than 23,600 deaths have been died to COVID-19, according to the state health department.
Most of those who are infected with the virus deal with relatively mild symptoms and some never get sick. But doctors and healthcare officials say COVID-19 carries potentially serious health risks to everyone, particularly seniors and those with chronic health conditions.
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