HUGHESVILLE, Pa. — The Family Practice Center in Hughesville has been working around the clock to serve folks living in the rural parts of Lycoming and Sullivan Counties during the pandemic.
They have already vaccinated over 1000 people, but as of this week, they will no longer be able to.
"The Department of Health decided to eliminate private physicians from the provider list of people who were going to give the COVID vaccines across the state," said Ron Mezick, Physician Assistant at the Family Practice Center.
The DOH was supplying more than 1700 medical care facilities across the state; now, less than 300 of those institutions will be able to offer the vaccine.
The Family Practice Center had more than 1000 people on the 1A waiting list.
"Well, we have been vaccinating people all over Eastern Lycoming County and Sullivan County and even medical personnel from Harrisburg to the New York line who were having difficulty finding vaccines in the beginning," Mezick said.
"Now our patients feel very hopeless, we're frustrated for them, and that is the biggest frustration for us is that we can't help those who we feel like we serve," said Tina Deiter at the Family Practice Center.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health issued this statement to Newswatch 16:
"We must concentrate the vaccine among the providers who can move first doses as quickly as possible to protect Pennsylvanians."
However, officials at the Family Practice Center think they can administer the vaccine at a quick pace.
"We have given over probably 1000 vaccines so far, and we have been gearing up and are ready to do 1000 a week if we can get the vaccine, which has been the problem," added Mezick.
Folks who live in rural communities may have to travel farther now to get the vaccine.
"It is very difficult for people in rural communities, not only because of transportation differences but access to computers to be able to sign on to some of these places to get on their waiting list, and they try for hours and hours and hours," Mezick said.
If you had your first dose administered by your primary care physician, you are able to still receive the second dose there as well.