Gov. Wolf recognizes aging services in Washington County on COVID-19 vaccines

Gov. Tom Wolf recognized a Charleroi-based aging services provider Thursday for its efforts to help senior citizens wade through the process of registering for a COVID-19 vaccination.
Wolf said Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging, which serves Washington, Fayette and Greene counties, is helping to provide transportation for senior citizens to vaccine clinics.
“I was very pleased that they recognized that we’ve been working with the seniors in the area to navigate those websites,” said Leslie Grenfell, the agency’s executive director.
Grenfell said the agency cannot get preferential treatment for people as they face a huge demand for vaccines.
She said the agency is there to help people overcome issues, including a lack of internet service where they live or proper computer equipment. The agency also is there to help those who do not have computer skills.
The seniors in the agency’s service area are not afraid of getting a vaccine, Grenfell said.
“They very much want to receive it,” she said.
The virus has killed 22,860 Pennsylvanians since March after 115 new deaths were reported Thursday, including two each in Washington and Fayette. The virus has been particularly deadly among those 65 and older, the target ages of this round of vaccines.
The state also announced 3,978 new cases, bringing the cumulative total to 884,269.
Washington County added 34 new cases to its total that climbed to 13,150. Fayette’s case-count grew by 23 to 10,045. Greene added 15 new cases to its total of 2,530.
Wolf said the state “needs to do a better job” with its vaccine program, that the limited supply of the drugs remains the biggest challenge.
He said the federal government announced Thursday that an ample supply of the vaccines should be available in April.
The Area Agency on Aging can be reached at: 724-489-8080 in Washington County; 724-430-4603 in Fayette; and 724-852-1510 in Greene.