WHEREAS, In 2020, COVID-19, commonly referred to as the Coronavirus, a highly contagious and potentially life-threatening virus with conditions characterized as coughing, fever, and upper respiratory irritation or distress, began spreading rapidly throughout the United States; and
WHEREAS, Although Governments adopted travel restrictions, stay at home orders, quarantine requirements, social distancing and mask wearing procedures, the virus has taken the lives of an estimated 998,000 people worldwide. Over 205,000 residents of the United States have died and more than 17,000,000 have been infected; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia’s Health Department has worked tirelessly to meet testing demands, address treatment needs and treatment capacity issues, strengthen the emergency service response systems, and provide increased information to the public; and
WHEREAS, Health officials worldwide have been working to prepare for and respond to the development and deployment of a COVID-19 vaccine; and
WHEREAS, The United States CDC has asked for COVID-19 vaccine distribution plans from every city and state in the country after releasing the “COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook for Jurisdiction Operations”. Vaccine distribution plans are due to the CDC by October 16, 2020; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia is well positioned for the effective roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine as a result of PhilaVax and the formation of a Vaccine Advisory Board to advise on medical and population level concerns related to the deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine . With 800 medical providers reporting to the PhilaVax system, more than 95-percent of Philadelphia’s residents' immunizations are currently tracked in a secure database managed by the City. The City of Philadelphia is working to enhance the PhilaVax system in anticipation of the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine; and
WHEREAS, Although the City of Philadelphia is ahead of other municipalities and states in managing vaccination programs and immunization data, health and civic leaders are actively working on the City of Philadelphia’s vaccination plan in anticipation of the CDC deadline and the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine in Philadelphia and will be faced with preparing for a range of important issues, including setting goals for vaccination rates in Philadelphia; educating the public about the safety of and critical need for obtaining the vaccine; determining how and when to deliver the vaccine to those at highest risk for acquiring and transmitting the infection; establishing where and when vaccinations will be available; planning for and funding implementation and deployment of the vaccination program; and, ensuring that
the vaccination program is designed to reach those people - particularly the medically vulnerable and racial/ethnic minorities - that are at greatest risk from COVID-19; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Committee on Public Health and Human Services is authorized to hold hearings to evaluate the City of Philadelphia’s plan for distributing, tracking, and otherwise managing the roll out COVID-19 vaccine.
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