Over the past two weeks, UPMC has seen an increase in demand for vaccines since the start of the summer, when it had to downsize its staff and even move to a smaller clinic at 609 Brandon Ave., according to Heather Stafford, UPMC Williamsport Clinical Director. nursing training and infection prevention.

She added that they plan to expand the hours and days available at the vaccination clinic to meet the demand for vaccination.

“We are delighted and happy that people are looking to get vaccinated”, said Stafford. “They are very effective and scientifically proven to help stop hospitalizations and deaths. They are the most important key to stopping the spread of this virus. “

Stafford predicts that the Delta variant and the return of schools and universities to session with students to be in more confined spaces could contribute to the recent increase.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Lycoming County remains in the “substantial” level of transmission of COVID-19, with approximately 50 to 100 new cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days. Clinton County is in the “high” level of transmission with a number greater than or equal to 100 new cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days. All levels are from an Aug. 12 report by the Lycoming County Health Improvement Coalition using CDC data.

The CDC provides vaccination rates on their website. According to its figures, around 54,459 people have at least one dose of the vaccine while 48,266 are fully vaccinated.

“It is becoming more and more obvious that more and more people see the benefit of being vaccinated”, said Stafford.

UPMC Williamsport also works to reduce vaccine wastage by administering vaccines to hospitalized people as well as coordinating doses for community events and partnerships as well as home and home immunizations.

“It’s a collective health effort to limit waste” said Stafford.

“We really encourage people to sign up, vaccines are one of the best tools” to stop the spread, she added.

One message the UPMC wants to convey is that it is “never too late” to obtain the vaccine and that there is an adequate supply of Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

To register for a vaccine, visit the website, vaccine.upmc.com or call 844-876-2822.