Cartwright, local lawmakers urge setting up of mass vaccination sites for region

Mar. 9—WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright Tuesday said as vaccines become more readily available, mass vaccination sites will be crucial for ensuring that everyone who can receive a vaccine gets a vaccine.

Cartwright, D-Moosic, sent a letter to Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) Director Randy Padfield with the support of 14 state representatives and two state senators from the Northeastern Pennsylvania area urging the agency to set up mass COVID-19 vaccination sites in the region as soon as possible.

Cartwright wrote that streamlining distribution of COVID-19 vaccines through mass vaccination sites is critical to not only reducing severe illness and death from the virus, but also staying ahead of new virus variants.

"Time is critical in these efforts," Cartwright said. "A faster roll-out not only reduces rates of severe illness and death, but also lessens the potential impact new COVID-19 variants could have and makes it less likely that new variants emerge."

Co-signers of the letter are: State Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township; Sen. Mario Scavello, R-Monroe County; State Reps. Michael B. Carroll, D-Avoca; Aaron Kaufer, R-Kingston; Gerald Mullery, D-Newport Township; Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre; Tara Toohill, R-Butler Township; Karen Boback, R-Harveys Lake; Marty Flynn, D-113; Jonathan Fritz, R-111; Bridget M. Kosierowski, D-114; Maureen E. Madden, D-115; Kyle Mullins, D-112; Mike Peifer, R-139); Jack Rader, R-176; and Rosemary Brown, R-189.

Baker said every day, constituents continue to voice their valid frustrations regarding the failures of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution process.

"Men and women with health conditions and seniors, who are all listed for priority in group 1A, should certainly be able to receive the vaccine by now," Baker said. "People have been forced to devote countless hours of their time trying to locate a vaccine dose for themselves, their family members, or their friends."

Baker added that many times, despite their continued attempts, people are unable to find an actual appointment.

"This is unacceptable," Baker said. "After a year of insurmountable challenges due to the pandemic, every person who wants to receive the vaccine should be able to do so."

Cartwright also noted the resources the American Rescue Plan would provide to launch a national vaccination program. He said he is working to ensure it is swiftly enacted, so Pennsylvania receives more resources for vaccine distribution quickly.

"I am confident that the legislation's $20 billion investment establishing a national vaccination program will significantly bolster vaccine manufacturing and distribution capacity and offer the needed assistance to establish and sustain mass vaccination sites across the nation," Cartwright added.

The House passed the American Rescue Plan on Feb. 27, and the Senate passed a slightly modified version on Saturday, March 6. The House was set to approve that version this week and send it to President Biden for signature.

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