Montgomery County COVID-19 Vaccine Updates: The Latest

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — Vaccination efforts have taken a sharp turn for the better in Montgomery County over the past week.

Multiple new clinics have opened as the county has received a significant influx of new doses. It's also expanded registration eligibility to the public, after months of the state's most vulnerable residents being stuck on a deep wait list.

However, there was some sobering news Tuesday morning: the CDC and FDA recommended a “pause” in the distribution of Johnson and Johnson doses due to some cases where the vaccine caused blood clotting. This is the vaccine the county was banking on to book many of its appointments; it is unclear what the full impact will be yet on clinics and the local vaccination timeline.

Registration for the vaccine is available online via the county's website, or by calling the county's COVID-19 hotline at (833) 875-3967.

Here are the latest updates from around the county:

Johnson & Johnson pause cancels clinics

Montgomery County has canceled some of its vaccination clinics scheduled for the next two days after the FDA and the CDC recommended a "pause" on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine over blood clot concerns. The county's Pfizer clinics are not impacted and will continue as usual. MORE.

Registration opened to general public

Anyone over the age of 16 is now eligible to sign up to receive the vaccine. This is slightly ahead of the statewide schedule, which opened up to more critical infrastructure workers in the 1C category on Monday. The state announced they too would move to open to the general public, starting on Tuesday. MORE.

Montgomery County opens new clinics

Montgomery County announced Wednesday that they will open up two new community clinics in Lansdale and Pottstown. Both sites opened on Friday, April 9. Future sites are coming to Norristown (second in the municipality) and King of Prussia. MORE.

"Matchmaker" connects Montco residents to vaccines

PA CoVID Vaccine Match Maker has been around since Feb. 2 and has grown to nearly 64,000 members. One person every minute was joining the group on Wednesday afternoon. The page states it exists to "Connect with people and resources needing help or willing to help with CoVID Vaccine scheduling" in southeastern Pennsylvania, including Montgomery County. MORE.

Montco gets "double shipment"

A shift in state policy, along with increased shipments, has resulted in a massive influx in Johnson & Johnson doses to the county last week, with 10,500 expected weekly and a special double shipment of 21,000 received last week. MORE.

1A appointments completed

Montgomery County has as well, and anticipated they'd move into 1B appointments this week or next week. 42 percent of their eligible population over the age of 16 has been vaccinated with at least one dose. MORE.