The Pennsylvania Department of Health is recommending that fully vaccinated immunocompromised individuals get the COVID booster shot. Last week, the FDA gave the OK for moderately to severely immunocompromised people to get the shot, only if they're fully vaccinated with the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. State health officials say they are pleased that the federal government is taking steps to ensure individuals who are immunocompromised have the opportunity to receive another layer of protection against the virus.
Under a proposed bill in the Pennsylvania Senate, parents who defy mask mandates at their children's school could pay fines if a classmate catches COVID-19. St. Sen. Anthony Williams' bill would state that parents must be aware of a school's mask mandate and must have given formal notice their child would not comply with them. Williams says he hopes his bill is unnecessary, but with the low vaccination rates in Pennsylvania, it's critical to ensure the safety of school children.
St. Luke's University Hospital Dr. Jeffrey Jahre says the federal government has not done a great job of handling on ongoing coronavirus pandemic. "I'm very frustrated with the way the government, and not just the Biden administration but the previous administration as well, has handled this. I think it's been very, very flat-footed and it certainly could be better," Jahre says. Having said that, Jahre says getting vaccinated remains the best way to prevent contracting the virus and lessening its effects if you do.
New Jersey's coronavirus hospitalization rate is the highest it's been since the middle of May. The state reported 780 hospitalizations Saturday night, that's four more than the previous night, and the most beds filled because of COVID since May 19th. That same day, the state reported 1263 additional infections, with the delta variant accounting for a majority of the tests that have been sampled. The numbers reflect the slowdown in vaccinations, with 5.4-million New Jerseyans now fully vaccinated.
The Somerset County Health Department is already administering third doses of the coronavirus vaccine to eligible residents. It comes just days after federal regulators approved a third dose for people who are immunocompromised. These individuals can head to the Bound Brook Community Center from nine a.m. to one p.m., where only third doses will be administered. The county health department says it's working with local health departments to set up both fixed and mobile vaccine clinics to distribute the additional shots.
Three people are recovering after a shooting in Allentown. Police were called to the 1700 block of S. Fourth Street just before 2:30 Sunday morning for a report of shots fired. When they arrived outside a restaurant there, they found three people suffering from non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. Police say none of those victims is cooperating with the investigation. A 26-year-old Lansdale man has been arrested for being involved in a fight during the shooting incident, however he has not been charged with shooting anybody.
Three people have been injured in a crash shut down part of Route 33 in Northampton County early this morning. Several vehicles, including a tractor-trailer and sedan, were involved in the wreck just before 4am in the southbound lanes, right after the Route 22 interchange. At least three people had to be rescued from the sedan. Route 33 was closed for about two hours while police investigated and crews cleared the wreck.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission says residents can feed birds again. Over the last few months, Pennsylvania along with at least ten other states were seeing a mysterious rise of sick and dead birds, but it seems the unknown disease is waning. Officials also found no correlation between the disease and feeding the birds or birdbaths and feeders. However, residents are urged to constantly clean feeders and bird baths.