Philadelphia Expanding COVID Vaccine Eligibility For Phase 1B To Include Clergy Members, People With Intellectual Disabilities
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia health officials announced Friday that they are expanding the groups eligible for COVID vaccines in the phase 1B category. This group includes people with intellectual disabilities, those who take immunosuppression drugs and members of the clergy.
"With religious services restarting, members of the clergy are at high-risk for acquiring COVID infection and transmitting it, in particular, transmitting it to people who are elderly. So we view them as frontline essential workers," Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said.
Health officials say that as of Thursday, 402,000 city residents have received their first doses of the COVID vaccine and another 156,000 people have received second shots.
