Category: State Government Actions

PDH Joins Pediatricians to Discuss Safe, Effective COVID-19 Vaccine to Protect Kids 5 to 11 (November 4, 2021)

On November 4, 2021, Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam joined pediatricians at the Pediatrics of Northeastern Pennsylvania office to discuss the Pfizer pediatric vaccine that received emergency use authorization this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for children ages 5 through 11 to protect them and those around them from the virus.

With parental consent, children ages 5 through 11 may now receive the Pfizer pediatric COVID-19 vaccine. The Department of Health is working with vaccine providers across the state to help ensure that the pediatric vaccine is available in every community.

“By the end of this week Pennsylvania vaccine providers, including pediatricians, primary care physicians, family doctors, pharmacies, federally qualified health centers and grocery stores, will have more than 414,000 doses of the pediatric vaccine,” Beam said. “The CDC tells us they will be ramping up deliveries directly to the providers in the coming days and weeks.”

Acting Health Secretary Beam thanked Dr. Kate Tigue, MD, FAAP and Dr. April Troy, MD, MPH, FAAP for their support; and recognized the entire Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics for being such strong advocates for ensuring that more children have access to the pediatric vaccine.

“With at least one quarter of all COVID cases occurring in children, the approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 thought 11 is a huge milestone for some 28 million kids! This vaccine provides the best protection we have against this virus,” said Dr. Trude Haecker, MD, FAAP, President, Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “The pandemic has taken a toll not only on the physical health of children, but also on their social, developmental and emotional health. Thankfully, this vaccine will move us closer to a return to normalcy for our children, and ensure that they can remain in school, safely. I encourage all parents and caregivers to reach out to their pediatrician or primary care provider with questions and to schedule their child’s vaccination.”

Pennsylvanians are encouraged to contact their child’s pediatrician or local pharmacy to schedule a child’s vaccine appointment and to ask any questions about vaccine and a child’s eligibility.

To find more information on the COVID-19 pediatric vaccine, visit health.pa.gov.

Acting Human Services Secretary Reinforces Commitment to Supporting Early Childhood Providers and Educators thru Economic Recovery (November 3, 2021)

Department of Human Services (DHS) Acting Secretary Meg Snead joined early childhood educators and community members at the Warwick Child Care Center’s Lionville Center in Exton to thank child care workers for their service to Pennsylvania’s children and working families during the COVID-19 crisis and to discuss the Wolf Administration’s commitment to helping the child care industry recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic. 

“For our youngest Pennsylvanians, an early childhood education experience can shape their educational, social, and emotional development throughout their lives. Because of child care and early learning providers who kept their doors open, essential workers had the peace of mind to know their children were safe while they staffed our hospitals, stocked our grocery shelves and responded to our emergency calls,” said Acting Secretary Snead. “A thriving child care industry is foundational to the rest of our economy, and this industry and the dedicated educators who show up every day to help our children grow are essential for our recovery from this pandemic.”  

Last month, DHS announced its plan to distribute $655 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to stabilize Pennsylvania’s child care industry. Licensed child care providers are invited to submit applications for one-time grant funding that represents an unprecedented investment in the child care industry and its dedicated workforce. This grant funding can be used to cover expenses, support staff, and provide support to this critical industry that continues to be challenged by the pandemic. Licensed child care providers are invited to apply for funding through January 31, 2022, and more information on the grant funding and how to apply can be found here. 

“The $655 million we are investing in child care because of the American Rescue Plan Act will help us stabilize this industry so it can continue to be there for children and families as we move forward,” said Acting Secretary Snead. “Child care and early learning educators and providers have stood by Pennsylvania families throughout this pandemic, and we will stand with them throughout this economic recovery.” 

The Wolf Administration also recently announced plans to invest $352 million included in the American Rescue Plan Act for the Child Care Development Fund to support Pennsylvania’s Child Care Works (CCW) program, which helps low income, working families access child care. Beginning January 1, 2022, the funding will increase support for child care providers participating in CCW, ease barriers for parents, and incentivize providers to offer child care in non-traditional hours, helping parents who work second and third shift jobs. Investments in subsidized child care also help more Pennsylvania families access high quality child care no matter where they live or their income. 

Additionally, child care providers have received three distinct payments from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, totaling $220 million, the distribution of which was based on the findings of a Penn State study of COVID-19’s impact on Pennsylvania’s child care industry. Earlier this year, Pennsylvania also distributed $303 million from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 to support child care. 

The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University found that a child’s environment before and soon after birth “provides powerful experiences that chemically modify certain genes in ways that then define how much and when they are expressed.” And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, early childhood education can protect children against future onset of disease or disability, as well as counteract some socioeconomic disadvantages. Early childhood education, according to the CDC, has also been associated with increases in maternal employment and income; savings in health care costs; improvement in health outcomes associated with education; earnings gains after high school graduation; and better jobs and higher earnings throughout employment years for children participating in these programs. 

For more information on child care providers operating during the COVID-19 public health crisis, visit www.findchildcare.pa.gov. 

Gov. Wolf Applauds CDC Approval of COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Ages 5 thru 11 (November 3, 2021)

On November 3, 2021, Governor Tom Wolf and members of the Wolf Administration applauded the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) approval of the pediatric Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 through 11 and confirms that vaccine providers are ready to administer shots as soon as possible. 

Pennsylvania vaccine providers, including pediatricians, primary care physicians, family doctors, pharmacies, large retailers, federally qualified health centers and grocery stores, will be able to schedule appointments and administer the vaccine as soon as possible according to CDC guidance. Many vaccine pre-orders have already been delivered with more expected in the coming days and weeks. 

“The pediatric vaccine is safe, and it is highly effective at protecting children against COVID-19-related illness, hospitalization, and death,” Pennsylvania’s Acting Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson said. “Vaccinating children against COVID-19 is the best way to keep families and communities healthy and schools safe.”  

“We will continue to encourage all Pennsylvanians to get their COVID-19 vaccine, and we are very excited that we can now include children ​ages 5 and over in that effort,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. “To fellow parents I say: If you have a child between 5 and 11, get them vaccinated and give your child the power to safely learn, play and be a kid.”  

The CDC recommendation comes after thorough evaluations by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

With parental consent, children ages 5 through 11 may now receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The Department of Health will continue working with providers across the state to help ensure that the vaccine is available in every community. 

Find the nearest COVID-19 vaccine provider at www.Vaccines.gov. Additionally, many health care providers, schools, and community organizations may be planning local vaccine clinics to allow children to receive the vaccine at convenient locations and times over the coming weeks. 

Like the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for individuals ages 12 and older, the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 through 11 is administered as a two-dose series, with the second dose coming three weeks after the first. A dose of the Pfizer vaccine for ages 5 through 11 contains one-third the amount of active ingredient compared to the dose for ages 12 and older. 

As a reminder, at present, children ages 5 through 11 may only receive the Pfizer 5-11-year-old vaccine; children ages 12 through 17 may only receive the Pfizer 12+ vaccine, and adults age 18 and older may receive the Pfizer 12+ vaccine, Moderna vaccine, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 

While vaccine appointments may not be immediately available as vaccine providers await the smaller dose of vaccine, supply of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine ​for ages 5 through 11 is not expected to be a limitation.

PDH: PA Closer to Providing COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Aged 5-11 (November 1, 2021)

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PDH) is ready to meet the demand to vaccinate children aged 5-11 when final approval is given by the CDC. Final approval of the pediatric Pfizer vaccine cleared another hurdle last Friday when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the vaccine for emergency use authorization.

“Approval of a vaccine for children in the 5-11 age group would add a high level of protection from the virus for those children and help further prevent the spread of the virus among others,” said Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam. “The arrival of the vaccine should help keep kids in school for in-person learning and move us a step closer to moving out of the pandemic.”

Pennsylvania vaccine providers, including pediatricians, primary care physicians, family doctors, pharmacies, large retailers, federally qualified health centers and grocery stores, will be able to schedule appointments for the vaccine immediately after final approval is provided by the CDC and will have vaccines to administer as early as November 4.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky are expected to approve the use of the new vaccine this week.

PA Ed Sec Ortega Encourages Healthy Habits (October 28, 2021)

On October 28, 2021, Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Secretary Dr. Noe Ortega visited Waverly Elementary School in Abington Heights School District to highlight how students in the region are staying healthy and safe during an unprecedented new school year, and encourage them to adopt healthy, lifelong hygiene habits.

“The past two years have been anything but normal, so it is refreshing to get back into the classroom to interact with students as they’re learning in person,” said Sec. Ortega. “I applaud Abington Heights School District and Waverly Elementary School for their efforts to keep students and teachers safe and get back to learning, socialization, and activities.” 

During the event, Sec. Ortega read the book “A Germ’s Journey” to a first-grade class. The book, written in 2011 by Thom Rooke, MD and illustrated by Tony Trimmer, teaches children the importance of good hygiene practices like washing their hands and covering coughs and sneezes. 

Throughout the 2020-21 school year, PDE regularly provided technical assistance and guidance to local education agencies (LEAs) to support instruction while navigating the pandemic, and PDE will continue to support LEAs as they navigate the 2021-22 school year. This includes through the latest chapter of PDE’s Roadmap for Education Leaders; Accelerated Learning through an Integrated System of Support. This toolkit includes a professional learning series for school leaders and educators to help address students’ learning loss and other issues caused by the pandemic. 

Additionally, PDE has sent regular correspondence to schools with up-to-date processes, procedures, and information as it develops. Those updates can be accessed on the What’s New page on PDE’s website.  

Currently, students 12 and older are eligible and encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19, which is one of the best ways to keep students learning in-person. The state Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable, and efficient to all Pennsylvanians. Use Vaccine Finder to find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you.