Erie County Department of Health provides a public health update on COVID-19 in the county. The community is welcome to contact the Erie County Department of Health for guidance. For details on how to stay up to date on vaccines, isolation and quarantine, preventing spread of COVID-19 in business establishments and events, and other information, contact covidresponse@eriecountypa.gov or 814-451-6700 or fill out the online Community Form at Eriecountypa.gov/covid-19/.
Cases and data
In the past week, March 21 Monday to 27 Sunday,
· There were 76 cases reported, with a daily average of 11 cases.
· There was 1 death reported with date of death in the first week of February, increasing the total death count to 795.
· The total unvaccinated death count remains at 653, which is 82% of the total deaths (795).
As of March 27, among the total reported deaths in Erie County, the breakdown by vaccination status and age range is as follows:
| Reported deaths | Ages 0-49 | Ages 50-64 | Ages 65 & older | Sub-total | Percentage breakdown |
| Not vaccinated | 31 | 91 | 531 | 653 | 82% |
| Partially vaccinated | 0 | 3 | 29 | 32 | 4% |
| Fully vaccinated | 2 | 18 | 90 | 110 | 14% |
| Additional dose | 0 | 3 | 18 | 21 | 3% |
| Total | 795 | 100% |
As of March 27, the age breakdown of reported deaths is as follows:
| Age range | 2020 deaths | 2021 deaths | 2022 deaths | Total deaths |
| 0-19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 20-29 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 30-39 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 10 |
| 40-49 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 17 |
| 50-59 | 8 | 35 | 11 | 54 |
| 60-69 | 29 | 84 | 16 | 129 |
| 70-79 | 78 | 107 | 22 | 207 |
| 80-89 | 125 | 84 | 24 | 233 |
| 90-99 | 79 | 40 | 15 | 134 |
| 100-109 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Sub-total | 324 | 375 | 96 | 795 |
The number of persons vaccinated from March 21 to 27 was 196. This increases the total number of persons vaccinated to 180,449 with the following breakdown:
| Number of persons | Of eligible population | Of total population | |
| Partially vaccinated | 24,562 | 9.6% | 9.1% |
| Fully vaccinated | 155,887 | 61.2% | 57.8% |
| Received additional dose | 77,323 | 30.4% | 28.7% |
As of March 27, the vaccination breakdown in Erie County by age range is as follows:
| Years old | Percentage vaccinated fully within each age range | |
| 5-9 | 23.2% | 3.0% |
| 10-19 | 43.6% | 5.8% |
| 20-29 | 53.6% | 10.9% |
| 30-39 | 57.4% | 10.4% |
| 40-49 | 62.5% | 9.3% |
| 50-59 | 70.4% | 9.2% |
| 60-69 | 77.4% | 10.6% |
| 70 & older | 81.0% | 14.8% |
Information on cases and deaths in Erie County and other data such as reports on vaccination demographics can be found at the Erie County Government website https://eriecountypa.gov/covid-19/positive-cases-in-erie-county/. Latest recommendations and related data is also available at the websites of
· Pennsylvania Department of Health health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Cases.aspx
· Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view
Benefit of vaccination
The benefit of vaccination is that it helps the body prevent severe illness and lessens the likelihood of needing hospitalization. If having concerns or questions about vaccines, approach healthcare professionals or contact the Erie County Department of Health at 814-451-6700 for facts and answers.
Free vaccines are available for residents of Erie County ages 5 years and older. For list of local vaccination sites, visit eriecountypa.gov/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine. Call ahead to confirm schedules.
Not all locations may offer COVD-19 vaccines to children 5 to 11 years old. Call ahead to check availability. To find vaccines in other nearby locations text ZIP Code to 438829, visit vaccines.gov or call 1-800-232-0233
Importance of testing
Erie County Department of Health recommends community members, vaccinated or unvaccinated, to get tested for COVID-19 if they have been exposed to anyone who has COVID-19 or if they have symptoms such as sore throat, coughing, difficulty breathing, fever or chills, muscle or body aches, vomiting or diarrhea, or loss of taste or smell. Testing results can help determine appropriate care and treatment if needed.
Community members using home test kits who have questions or need guidance can call 814-451-6700.
For list of local sites offering free testing, visit eriecountypa.gov/covid-19/covid-19-testing-information.
A free mobile rapid antigen testing clinic organized by the Erie County Department of Health is available.
· March 30, Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church Parking Lot, 8880 Main St., McKean
· April 1, Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at County YMCA in Edinboro, 12285 YMCA Dr., Edinboro
Preventing spread
According to the COVID-19 Community Levels guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is updated weekly, Erie County is currently at low risk.
At this level, recommendations for preventing the spread of COVID-19 include:
· Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, for 5 years and older, including those who are pregnant and plan on becoming pregnant. This means getting all recommended primary doses and booster doses when eligible.
· Anyone may choose to mask at any time, regardless of vaccination status.
· If you are (or live, work or have contact with someone who is) at high risk for severe illness or have a weak immune system, consult your healthcare provider about masking and other precautions.
· Get tested if you have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19.
· Wear a mask if you have symptoms, positive test results, or have been exposed to COVID-19.
· Stay home while waiting for test results. If you have positive test results, even if you don’t have symptoms, stay home and apart from others in your home and, if possible, use a separate bathroom; inform your close contacts to stay home and get tested.
· Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible.
