BHS looks back at vaccines while thinking ahead
Butler Health System commemorated the anniversary Saturday of its first vaccine administered under its purview.
BHS officials announced the anniversary in a weekend statement.
“Butler Health System is privileged to be a healing presence in the Butler and Clarion communities, providing care and leadership during these challenging times,” the statement said.
On Dec. 18, 2020, the Butler Eagle was present as staff at Butler Memorial Hospital received some vaccine doses from the first received shipment. At the time, those who worked the closest to the virus and its patients were afforded the earliest doses to keep them safe while they worked and cared for others.
In an interview on that day, Dr. Kathy Selvaggi, chief community health officer at Butler Memorial Hospital, had said she had been excited to be among the first vaccinated in Butler County.
“I've seen a lot of tragedy both in our hospital and in our community and throughout our nation. We need the vaccine to not only protect ourselves, but our neighbors and loved ones,” said Selvaggi at the time.
According to BHS's statement this weekend, the system has since administered 162,000 doses among adults and children.
According to previous Butler Eagle reports, by Feb. 26, 16,880 residents had their first dose and 12,324 were fully vaccinated. By April 9, the county saw that data nearly doubled, showing, 17,826 residents had received a first dose while 48,628 had been fully vaccinated.
By June, Butler County had more than 80,000 fully vaccinated residents, the sixth-highest vaccination rate per 100,000 residents, according to Department of Health data.
The vaccination rate appeared to wane, heading into the fall. On Sept. 1, it was reported that 97, 403 residents were fully vaccinated, and 7,614 had received one dose.
Recent shifts and concerns over new strains of the virus, as well as new populations added for vaccine availability, has added to the department's data.
As of Sunday, 110,156 county residents have been fully vaccinated, 13,369 have had one dose and 42,474 residents have received a third booster shot. According to U.S. Census, Butler County is estimated to have a population of about 187,853.
Based on these figures, 58% of county residents have received both initial doses, deeming them “fully vaccinated.” Meanwhile, about 23% of county residents have received the third booster dose.
“Booster doses have been provided as authorized, to maintain maximum protection for the vaccinated,” BHS officials said Friday. “Over the subsequent year, vaccines have been made available to an ever-expanding portion of our communities, most recently to children as young as 5 years old.”
The latest Department of Health data shows a further breakdown for vaccine doses administered to children between ages 5 and 11.
In Butler County, 2,468 children between the ages of 5 and 11 have received both doses while 991 have received one dose so far. Children ages 12 to 17 are not pinpointed in current data compilations and would be present in the totals with adults.
“While BHS celebrates this milestone and the successes to date, our work is far from done,” said BHS officials in its statement. “COVID-19 continues to take a brutal toll on our communities, with ongoing threats to our health.”
As BHS staff reflects on a year full of vaccinations, rates of infections have been climbing again.
Butler Memorial Hospital on Friday reported having 50 patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 with 11 of those being treated in its intensive care unit. In the same report, it announced two people died Dec. 14 during treatment.
As of Sunday, the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Dashboard showed the county's cumulative total of confirmed COVID-19 cases at 22,109 while 9,139 were listed as probable.
Based on archived Department of Health data from Dec. 1, there have been 1,773 new confirmed cases this month and 417 probable added.
In Butler County, 590 people have died from the virus, which represents 41 new deaths in December alone.
“BHS urges all eligible members of our communities to get vaccinated, and to get booster doses if previously vaccinated,” BHS officials said.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit www.butlerhealthsystem.org.
