PENNSYLVANIA, USA — As more people get the COVID-19 vaccine and others remain hesitant, several mass vaccination clinics across the region are preparing to close even as Pennsylvania still has yet to reach herd immunity.
Leaders at multiple vaccination sites told FOX43 the number of people coming in and out of their doors average now in the hundreds instead of the thousands and the vaccine is more widely available at this point to allow for walk-ins.
In Pennsylvania, 60% of the entire population and 70% of adults have received a first dose. Only 56% of adults are fully vaccinated. Doctors tell FOX43 people should not view the mass vaccination clinics closing as a sign that the pandemic is at its end.
"The pandemic is not over. I mean we are not at the place where we have a vast majority of our population vaccinated and there is a lot of inconsistency across the region across several states and that inconsistency breeds potential of new variants of the COVID-19 virus to come and infect others. So, I don't think we're at a point where we can take our foot off the gas. We need to continue vaccinating as fast as we can," said Dr. Michael Ripchinski, site director of the Lancaster County community vaccination center.
Read about the clinics preparing to close:
Lancaster County Mass Vaccination Clinic
Location: Park City Mall, old Bon Ton
Closing: June 30
Starting tomorrow, June 10th, people who receive their first dose at the Lancaster location will be given information on other sites to receive their 2nd dose. This site accepts both appointments and walk-ins.
Find more information here.
Location: Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) West Lot, One HACC Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17110
Closing: June 22
The last day of vaccinations at the HACC drive through, the clinic will offer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as an option in addition to the 2nd dose of Moderna vaccines. UPMC continues to offer the COVID-19 vaccination at other locations in Dauphin County and throughout Central Pa.
UPMC is holding Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine drive-through clinics on the Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) campus June 15, 17 and 22. The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is a single-shot vaccine, which requires only one dose to reach full effectiveness. An appointment is required June 15 and June 22 but not on June 17. People who do not have an appointment June 17 can drive through 9 am- 12:15 pm.
UPMC reminds everyone "the clinic is open to anyone age 18 or older seeking the Johnson & Johnson single-dose COVID-19 vaccine. (The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is not available to people under 18 years of age.)"
Schedule an appointment by registering online at Vaccine.UPMC.com or by calling 844-UPMCVAC (844-876-2822). The phone line is available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wellspan Health mass vaccination sites
Locations closing in July and stopping appointments in June:
Adams County Community COVID-19 Vaccination Site, Dept. of Emergency Services, 230 Greenamyer Lane, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Franklin County Community Vaccination Site, 3055 Black Gap Road (Chambersburg Mall)
Location Staying Open: York County Community COVID-19 Vaccination Site, Crossroads Shopping Center (former A.C. Moore location), 351 Loucks Road
Wellspan Health will close its Adams and Franklin County sites in July. However, its York County location in Manchester Township will stay open for now.
In a statement, Wellspan Health officials said demand for the COVID-19 vaccine has declined. Since opening in April, the Chambersburg site has administered nearly 4,000 doses of the vaccine.
"The site, located at the Chambersburg Mall, will stop scheduling new first dose appointments effective June 15, with the last second dose appointments scheduled for July 13. Beginning on June 16, first dose appointments in Franklin County will be scheduled at either WellSpan Family Medicine – Waynesboro or at WellSpan Health Campus, The Patrick O’Donnell Pavilion in Chambersburg. Walk-in hours will be available, as well as scheduled appointments. By June 28, all other WellSpan Medical Group practices in Franklin County will make COVID-19 vaccine appointments available."
In Adams County, Wellspan Health officials said, "the site, located at the Department of Emergency Services near Gettysburg, has begun phasing out vaccine appointments, with the last second dose appointment scheduled for July 1. At that point, all patients will receive their vaccines at WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital. The long-term plan for COVID-19 vaccination appointments will be to eventually transition to WellSpan Medical Group practices."
The Adams County site, which has been open since March, has administered just under 16,000 doses of the vaccine.
Individuals who are still looking to make an appointment, can do so online or via phone:
1. Online at www.MyWellSpan.org
2. Online at www.wellspan.org/covid19/covid-19vaccine/
3. Call the COVID-19 hotline 1-855-851-3641