SCRANTON, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported more than 3,200 Coronavirus cases on Thursday, a total not seen in the commonwealth for several months. Lackawanna County accounted for 29 of those cases.
While that number is nowhere near the county's single-day record of 196 back in January, the increases statewide are a cause for concern for 75-year-old Thomas Harrity.
"In the beginning, it started getting a little better, but now it's getting worse," the lifelong Scranton resident said.
He feels the virus could be here to stay.
"I think this is going to go on for a long time, with the different variants that are going to come up," Harrity said. "It'll be like getting flu shot every year, getting another COVID shot."
Nearly 118,000 people are fully vaccinated in Lackawanna County, giving Harrity some peace of mind.
Newswatch 16 spoke to some people in the Electric City who said they have not been vaccinated and are awaiting full FDA approval. Others feel it's important.
"I'm definitely for it," said Barry McBride of Scranton. "I got mine, and it's a good thing. It's a good thing."
"I'm lucky enough to have an employer that requires the vaccine, so it also, besides being masked-up indoors, we're at 100 percent vaccination rate," said Stacey Urgento.
Urgento carries a mask with her and wears it indoors.
"I think the best thing to the community can do in Scranton, in Lackawanna County, is to just try to follow the advice and the recommendations to keep everyone safe, including our health care professionals mostly," she said. "They are at the front lines."
"They're working very hard," Harrity added. "They're putting their lives on the line, and there's still people that are too stubborn to get the vaccine."