In Effort To Vaccinate After School, Montco Expands Clinic Hours

NORRISTOWN, PA — COVID-19 vaccine clinics are now open even later at night as Montgomery County works to vaccinate more children in the after school hours.

The move comes on the heels of the recent announcements from the FDA and CDC that the Pfizer vaccine is safe and approved for use on children aged 12 and up. It had previously only been available to the general public aged 16 and up.

"Our message to everyone is to get the vaccine today," Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said Wednesday. "It is more widely available than ever, it doesn’t cost you anything, and it will help protect you and your family. We all want to get back to doing the things we love, and getting vaccinated is the quickest way to do that."

Clinics will now be open for extended evening hours until 6:15 p.m. on both Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The county is currently operating six different clinics:

• Bethel Community Church, 575 North Keim St., Pottstown, PA 19464 (Weekday and Saturday hours)
• Bethlehem Baptist Church, 712 Penllyn Pike, Spring House, PA 19477 (All Saturdays in May)
• King of Prussia Mall, (former JC Penney), 160 North Gulph Road, #A110, King of Prussia, PA 19406 (Located on the 2nd level of the former JC Penney, across from True Food Kitchen and Shake Shack. Please enter from the parking lot. The entrance inside the mall is closed.)
• Montgomery Mall (former Sears), 804 Bethlehem Pike, Suite 600, North Wales, PA 19454 (Located on the 2nd level of the former Sears location, near the food court entrance. The entrance inside the mall is closed.)
• Parkside Shopping Center (between Planet Fitness and Rally House), 2522 West Moreland Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090

The county has made significant progress in its vaccination rate in recent weeks, as the overall case numbers and percent positivity rate also continue to trend downward.

Thus far, over 30 percent of the 12 and up population in the county has been partially vaccinated, while 36 percent has been fully vaccinated. That means that 66 percent has received at least one shot.