COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Kids

Posted on July 6, 2022 by The Dunmorean

Infants and preschoolers are now able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and appointments can be scheduled for children in this age group (ages 6 months to 5 years) at several of The Wright Center for Community Health’s primary care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania.

The children became eligible for the vaccines after federal regulators granted approval to using mini-doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna products that have proven to be so effective in protecting older children and adults.

The approval means that about 18 million additional American children can become vaccinated against the very contagious and potentially deadly virus. All children, including children who have already had COVID-19, should get vaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Parents and caregivers with concerns about the safety or effectiveness of the vaccines in young children should contact their health care provider to have a fact-based, non-judgmental conversation,” said Dr. Jignesh Sheth, chief medical officer of The Wright Center for Community Health. “At The Wright Center, we want our patients to make informed decisions about the care that they and their children receive.”

Appointments for preschoolers to receive the vaccine can be made at any of these Wright Center primary care clinics:

● Kingston Practice, 2 Sharpe St., Kingston: 570.491.0126

● Mid Valley Practice, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn: 570.230.0019

● Scranton Practice, 501 S. Washington Ave., Scranton: 570.941.0630

Pfizer’s vaccine has been approved for youngsters ages 6 months through 4 years. Its shots for this age group are only one-tenth its adult dosage and will be given in a three-shot series.

Moderna’s vaccine is intended for youngsters ages 6 months through 5 years. Its shots for this age group contain one-quarter the dose of the company’s adult vaccine. It will be administered in a two-dose series, and the company expects to later offer a booster.

Note from Commissioners about Vaccine Appointments

Posted on February 3, 2021 by The Dunmorean

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues its grip on the United States and our community, it is vitally important that everyone protect themselves by getting vaccinated.

Patience is a big part of the process. Scheduling only one appointment at one location is also tantamount for medical professionals to vaccinate as many individuals as possible in a timely fashion.

The Lackawanna County Commissioners, their Human Services Department and their Area Agency on Aging caution all residents from signing-up on multiple lists at multiple locations. This is compounding the problem for vaccine providers as they move through their waiting lists, trying to serve as many people as possible. Multiple sign-ups take away spots from other consumers.

To that end, if you did sign-up at multiple locations, and got the vaccine, please make sure that you cancel the other appointments to free-up the time slots so more can be served.

The best avenue for one to take is that if you are a patient or customer of any medical group, doctor, or pharmacy, add yourself to one of their lists.

Streamlining the process to quickly serve a large number of people and help keep everyone healthy is the goal of the vaccination program. Inundating the system does not allow the process to move forward.

Housing Needs Survey Released Amid Pandemic

Posted on September 2, 2020 by The Dunmorean

The Lackawanna County Housing Coalition has released a housing needs survey to collect critical, up-to-date information about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the residents of Lackawanna County. The survey is intended for tenants, landlords, homeowners, and community organization staff and is available online in both English and Spanish:

Survey in English: bit.ly/lackawannahousing
Survey in Spanish: bit.ly/lackawannahousingspanish

Those who cannot complete the survey online may pick up a paper survey at United Neighborhood Centers Community Services, 410 Olive St., Scranton, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.

The information collected through this survey will be used by local housing and social service providers to assist residents who have been impacted by the pandemic, particularly those who may face eviction or foreclosure when state-wide moratoriums expire at the end of August.

About the Housing Coalition: The Lackawanna County Housing Coalition is a catalyst for decent, safe, affordable housing. The Coalition’s members—which include nonprofit, public, and private affordable housing providers—seek to provide housing opportunities and empowerment towards self-sufficiency for all persons in Lackawanna County. For more information, visit http://www.lchousingcoalition.org.