The Pennsylvania Department of Health has expanded Phase 1A for COVID-19 vaccination including anyone age 65 and older, and to include people 16-64 with medical conditions that put them at increased risk for severe illness. Those conditions are determined by the Centers for Disease Control.
WellSpan Health, the university partner at Etter Health Center, is offering access to the vaccine for anyone who is eligible for the vaccine, not just existing patients. You may register online for the vaccine through the MyWellSpan patient portal. Again, you do not need to be an existing WellSpan patient, but you will need to make an account to register.
Those who do not qualify for Phase 1A may register for waiting lists based on profession and other factors as determined by PA DOH. Education workers are included in Phase 1B. When registering with WellSpan, please specify your profession. When the phases change, the MyWellSpan portal will message a link for eligible registrants to sign up for the vaccine.
As you might imagine, demand is incredibly high so you will likely have to check back frequently to get access and register. WellSpan is aware and working fervently to increase staffing to allay the backlog. If you need assistance with your MyWellSpan account, you can contact customer support at (866) 638-1842 (Mon – Fri, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sat, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.). Again, expect longer than usual wait times.
Once you receive the first dose of the vaccine, the system automatically populates the ability to schedule a second dose in the appropriate timeframes.