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COVID Incidence and Positivity decreased again this week with 41 cases per 100K residents being reported and a positivity rate of 2.8%. This represents the 3rd consecutive week of decreasing incidence and positivity as well as the 3rd consecutive week of Moderate Transmission. Currently we have 64 active cases being reported in the last 14 days with 22 of those reported in the last 7 days.

On the vaccine front, to date the county has administered 5,735 vaccine doses broken down as 3,846 partial doses and 1,889 people receiving their second does and are now fully vaccinated.

Over the past week there were significant vaccine developments nationally. The FDA has granted Emergency Use Authorization to Johnson & Johnson for its COVID vaccine which now gives us 3 vaccines that are FDA approved for administration. Johnson & Johnson has immediately begun shipping vaccine nationwide and anticipates shipping 4 million doses this week with plans to ship another 16 million doses in the month of March. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a single dose vaccination which will greatly reduce the logistics required to fully immunize our residents. No information as of yet as to when we can expect to begin receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Tioga County. More information will be forthcoming as we continue to work with the state Department of Health to advocate for increased vaccine shipments to Tioga County.

Also last week, the FDA has approved the Pfizer vaccine to be stored at normal medication freezer temperatures of minus 13 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 14 days. This is a significant change as previously the Pfizer vaccine required ultra-cold storage of minus 76 to minus 112 degrees Fahrenheit. This change will greatly expand the number of facilities that can receive, store and ultimately administer the Pfizer vaccine not just in Tioga County but in rural communities throughout the Commonwealth.

The Task Force is very pleased with the current trajectory of the disease in Tioga County, but would once again like to remind everyone that we are far from out of the woods. The virus is still present, and we need to be diligent in our fight to keep our numbers trending in the right direction. Please do your part to keep our county safe and healthy and when it’s Your Turn to be vaccinate, please do so.