Who we’re vaccinating now:
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Mount Nittany Health employees
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Healthcare personnel (HCP) in Centre County in PA DOH category 1A
Review list of eligible healthcare personnel here. If you fall into one of these groups, click here for scheduling information.
Who will also be eligible when we receive more vaccine:
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Individuals age 65 and older
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Individuals age 16-64 with high-risk conditions or immunocompromised (weakened immune system)
If you fall into one of these groups, please do not call the health system, rather check back regularly for scheduling information. Online self-scheduling for the vaccine will soon be available.
Who’s coming up after that:
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General population
COVID-19 Vaccine Update (January 19)
Like all health systems across the state, Mount Nittany Health learned on January 19, that the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) expanded the eligibility list for the COVID-19 vaccine to include anyone over the age of 65, as well as those between 16 and 64 who have certain conditions that put them at higher risk.
We are working closely with the DOH and have ordered additional quantities of the COVID-19 vaccine to expand our vaccination program to the newly added groups.
Right now, our vaccine supply is limited to those groups that had been previously announced, and we are working through a wait list to schedule community health workers with that supply.
We will provide updates on our website, including a self-scheduling option, as soon as we have more information on when we can expect more of the vaccine.
Rather than calling the health system, the best way to stay informed and to self-schedule for the vaccine when it is available is to check mountnittany.org/coronavirus regularly.
To date, we have vaccinated more than 2200 Mount Nittany Health employees, medical staff and community healthcare workers.
COVID-19 Vaccine Update (January 14)
As has been reported, we have received additional allotments of vaccine through the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) and are administering these vaccines based on guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and DOH. Mount Nittany Health has vaccinated more than 600 Centre County healthcare-related workers to date and we are continuing to offer vaccinations to Centre County healthcare-related workers according to the DOH's criteria for category 1A.
Vaccinations will continue to be offered to the following groups during this phase (DOH category 1A):
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Healthcare personnel (HCP) in Centre County including, but not limited to:
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Emergency medical service personnel
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Funeral home staff
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Nurses
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Nursing assistants
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Physicians
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Dentists
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Dental hygienists
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Chiropractors
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Therapists
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Phlebotomists
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Pharmacists
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Technicians
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Pharmacy technicians
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Health professions students and trainees
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Clinical personnel in school settings or correctional facilities
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Staff/providers who provide clinical care in correctional facilities within Centre County
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Clinical staff working in dialysis centers in Centre County
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If you are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination during this phase based on the criteria above, then please call 814.234.6106, option 5 to schedule an appointment. Appointments will be scheduled Monday through Friday, 7:15 am - 4:00 pm while supplies last. Proof of employment will be required, such as paystub or employment ID badge.
The PA DOH, as the state's public health agency, is the lead in terms of moving from one vaccination phase to the next and the DOH will announce when we can move into these phases. Subsequent phases include PA DOH category 1B, which is defined as frontline essential workers and those over the age of 75, and PA DOH category 1C, which is defined as individuals aged 65-74 years, those with underlying medical conditions and other essential workers. As information is finalized on additional vaccine allotments and the status of the subsequent DOH phases, we will keep you and the communities that we serve informed of our plans to vaccinate these additional groups.
Please remember to check mountnittany.org/coronavirus for further updates.
Mount Nittany Health announces plans for future COVID-19 vaccination clinics
Mount Nittany Health is in the final stages of vaccinating more than 3,400 health care personnel in Centre County through the remainder of January. Completing this effort will fully utilize the vaccine supply that the health system has been currently allocated by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Moving into February, vaccination efforts will be focused on the newly expanded Department of Health Category 1A eligible community members. This now includes individuals age 65 and older and those age 16-64 who have high-risk conditions or who are immunocompromised (weakened immune system). Mount Nittany Health is currently awaiting shipment of additional vaccine to begin this effort.
Starting January 29, the health system plans to open an online self-scheduling system for Covid-19 vaccinations. Pending the availability of vaccine, additional appointments will be opened starting the first week of February and will be offered to anyone who meets the Category 1A criteria. Eligible individuals should visit mountnittany.org/coronavirus for available times and to schedule their appointment.
Given the level of community interest, appointment demand is expected to be high. Information will be updated on Mountnittany.org/coronavirus as soon as it is available. Please check the site regularly for the most current information as this will be more effective than inquiring by phone. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to make vaccinations available as soon as possible.
Covid 19 Vaccine Update (December 31)
As has been reported, we have received two allotments of vaccine through the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) and are administering these vaccines based on guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and DOH. Based on our current supply, our plan is to continue offering vaccinations to Centre County healthcare related workers the week of January 11. Details will be posted at mountnittany.org/coronavirus as soon as they are finalized. Please continue to check there for further updates. Vaccinations will be provided as long as our supply permits. We will continue to update our plans as we receive information on future shipments.
Based on CDC and DOH guidance and our current supply, vaccinations will be offered to the following groups.
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Physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical therapists, optometrists and counselors in Centre County, along with support staff working these offices
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Emergency service personnel (EMS) within Centre County
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School nurses or related professionals providing clinical care in schools within Centre County
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Staff/providers who provide clinical care in correctional facilities within Centre County
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Clinical staff working in dialysis centers in Centre County
Please remember to check mountnittany.org/coronavirus for further updates.
Mount Nittany Health expanding COVID-19 vaccinations (December 29)
Mount Nittany Health announced today that it has received a shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, enabling it to expand its vaccination program.
More than 1,200 employees and medical staff of the health system have already been vaccinated. As Mount Nittany Health continues to vaccinate additional employees and medical staff, it will begin the process of vaccinating community providers based on vaccine availability and current CDC guidelines. Eligible vaccine recipients are being contacted directly and will include healthcare workers from Centre Volunteers in Medicine, Centre County emergency medical personnel, local physicians, dentists and school nurses. In the future, eligibility will be expanded based on CDC and DOH guidelines and availability will be based on vaccine quantities shipped to the health system.
Mount Nittany Health’s COVID-19 vaccine task force, headed by Chief Medical Officer, Nirmal Joshi, MD, FACP, is overseeing the vaccination process. “We are still in a phase where supply is extremely limited, and we can only offer vaccinations to healthcare workers,” Dr. Joshi said. “We are pleased to be able to take this additional step in vaccinating another tier of frontline workers with the vaccine.”
“We have received no guidance yet on when we can expect a sufficient quantity of vaccine to be able to vaccinate others in the community, but we will alert the public through the media, social media and other communications channels as soon as we have that information. We have seen no significant side effects among those who have been vaccinated and encourage as much participation as possible as supplies increase and additional members of the public become eligible for the vaccine.”
“In the meantime,” Dr. Joshi continued, “we urge the public to follow the recommendations we and other public health authorities have been making: wear a mask, wash your hands frequently and avoid gatherings outside your immediate household. The number of COVID hospitalizations at Mount Nittany Medical Center has reached a new high of 66 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 today. We urge everyone need to be responsible and do what they can to stay safe until the vaccine is more widely available.”
Mount Nittany Health successfully administers more than 1,223 COVID-19 vaccines (December 24)
Over the course of five days, Mount Nittany Health immunized a total of 1,223 of its providers and staff against COVID-19 with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
The health system received a shipment of approximately 195 vials of the vaccine last Wednesday, December 16, and soon discovered that – like many hospitals throughout the country – a number of bonus doses were included in the shipment, allowing them to get more than 1,000 doses of the vaccine.
“We were extremely pleased to discover the extra doses,” shared Chief Medical Officer, Nirmal Joshi, MD, FACP. “To be able to offer the vaccine to several hundred additional staff members was a wonderful surprise.”
Vaccines were given during special clinic hours at Mount Nittany Medical Center. Originally scheduled for three days beginning Friday, December 18, extra doses of the vaccine allowed the health system to extend vaccinations through Wednesday, December 23.
Of the 1,223 employees that were immunized, very few minor symptoms – such as arm soreness – were reported.
Those vaccinated will receive their second dose of the COVID-19 inoculation approximately three weeks after their first injection, as indicated by Pfizer.
Mount Nittany Health reminds community members that it is essential to continue to consistently follow COVID-19 safety protocols – including masking, social distancing and frequent hand washing – until vaccines are made widely available.
Mount Nittany Health administers its first COVID-19 vaccinations to Medical Center staff (December 18)
Mount Nittany Health administered its first Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccinations to Mount Nittany Medical Center direct care staff last Friday, December 18.
The health system received approximately 1,000 vaccines that were administered to hospital employees over the course of several days.
Mount Nittany Health's Chief Medical Officer Nirmal Joshi, MD, FACP, lead the effort and said that while receiving the vaccination is voluntary for Mount Nittany Health providers and staff, it is strongly encouraged. Feedback from a staff survey suggested that most of the staff intend to be vaccinated.
Those vaccinated will receive their second dose of the COVID-19 inoculation 21 days after their first injection, as indicated by Pfizer.
Emily Shearer, RN, who works in critical care services at the Medical Center was one of the first healthcare providers to be immunized. “I cannot express how excited I am that the vaccine has been developed and that we are one step closer to ending this pandemic,” she said. “I work with COVID positive inpatients on almost every one of my shifts at the hospital, so I am beyond thankful to have received this additional line of protection not only for me, but also for my family that I go home to every day.”
“This is a milestone day and we’re all incredibly hopeful that this is the beginning of the end of this pandemic,” said Chief Medical Officer, Nirmal Joshi, MD, FACP. “We’ve all waited so long for this glimmer of hope, and we couldn’t ask for a better gift this holiday season.”
Dr. Joshi added that the health system is strongly encouraged by FDA clinical trial findings that the vaccine offers nearly full protection against virus symptoms after receiving both doses.
“We’re excited that the vaccine is here,” he said. “But this isn’t over yet. It’s going to be a while before everyone can be vaccinated, so please keep wearing a mask, washing your hands frequently and social distancing.”
Added Shearer, “Please, for all of us working the front lines during this time, until we are able to vaccinate more people and build an immunity to this virus, we need you to be responsible and continue to practice known COVID safety measures.”
Mount Nittany Health plans to immunize direct care staff and providers with COVID-19 vaccine this week (December 16)
Mount Nittany Health received a shipment of the newly-approved COVID-19 vaccine today, December 16, and plans to begin immunizing its direct care staff and providers this week, according to the health system’s COVID-19 vaccine response task force.
Mount Nittany Health's Chief Medical Officer Nirmal Joshi, MD, FACP, is leading the effort and says that while receiving the vaccination is voluntary for Mount Nittany Health providers and staff, it is strongly encouraged. Feedback from a staff survey suggests most of the staff intend to be vaccinated.
“We are certainly encouraged by FDA clinical trial findings that the Pfizer vaccine offers nearly full protection against virus symptoms after receiving both doses,” said Dr. Joshi. “Its overall effectiveness also seems to span across all age groups, genders, racial and ethnic minorities and those with underlying conditions like diabetes and obesity. It’s very promising, and a glimmer of hope during this pandemic.”
Those vaccinated will receive their second dose of the COVID-19 inoculation 21 days after their first injection, as indicated by Pfizer.
Dr. Joshi also reminds the community that even with the hope that the vaccine provides, it will be some time before it is available to the greater community, and even so, we must not just rely on a vaccine to mitigate spread of the virus.
"The most effective safety measures we can take against COVID-19 continues to be wearing a mask, frequent hand washing and maintaining social distance," he says. "These measures are especially important during the holidays as we continue to see a rise in COVID cases and subsequent hospitalizations."
Mount Nittany Health COVID-19 vaccine distribution
Mount Nittany Health is committed to administering the COVID-19 vaccine to our community as quickly as possible. Due to vaccine availability this will take some time, so we ask for your patience.
Total doses administered and future doses scheduled as of February 8, 2021
Total doses administered
7,200
Future doses scheduled
6,700
Mount Nittany Health COVID-19 vaccine distribution
Mount Nittany Health is committed to administering the COVID-19 vaccine to our community as quickly as possible. Due to vaccine availability this will take some time, so we ask for your patience.
Total doses administered
7,200
Future doses scheduled
6,700
Total doses administered and future doses scheduled as of February 8, 2021