WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are trending downwards in the Susquehanna region, according to officials at UPMC Williamsport. Since the first week of January, Lycoming County is seeing fewer cases by the day.
"For now, the downward trend, I would say, is because our community is listening and wearing masks, social distancing, and handwashing," said Susan Duchman of UPMC Susquehanna.
The hospital system began vaccinating folks over the age of 65 just a few weeks ago. UPMC has four vaccine clinics set up across central Pennsylvania.
"Right now, we have vaccinated and used over 12,000 vaccines so far in our region, and we continue to grow our clinics, and we are actually looking to add a second clinic in Lycoming County by the beginning of March."
The hospital system recently started an online program that allows folks to fill out their info while waiting to get a vaccine. The hospital will then reach out to you to schedule an appointment.
"People can register if they go on to vaccine.upmc.com, and they can register with their name, email, phone number, etc., and any underlying conditions, and then the next step is scheduling an appointment."
The recent weather has not been kind to hospital systems around the commonwealth. However, officials at UPMC say the winter weather has not been a huge issue.
"I can tell you it has not affected us at all. Our deliveries of vaccines may have come a day late, but that has not been a problem for us, and our clinics have run without issue. And I have actually had staff go out and shovel the snow in front of the clinics so we could be ready and open for when appointments started."
UPMC also tells Newswatch 16 that it will begin visiting high-rises this week to vaccinate people in group 1A who don't have the ability to travel.