A Wellness Center in Yeadon destined to become Delaware County’s new health department had a ribbon-cutting grand opening Jan. 27.

The 11,235-square-feet former grocery store will store COVID-19 vaccines and is now a vaccination and COVID-19 testing site for the county until the health department opens in January 2022.

“We have made enormous progress since we officially began this process a year ago, and that is a testament to the hard work of those inside and outside of government who have assisted us,” said Delaware County Council Vice Chair Dr. Monica Taylor.

She participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony along with county staff and leaders, Yeadon Borough officials, members of the Delaware County Health Department Steering Committee, and other community members.

A strategic plan for the new health department was recently completed. This month, the county started meeting with municipal managers, colleges and universities, public and private schools, non-profit organizations, the NAACP branches, the Black Caucus, business leaders, and religious institutions to get input on the new facility.

Think tank sessions will also be held with community members to find gaps in existing programs and services, to gather existing data and get input on health department goals and activities.

A county Board of Health will be created with a director named in the summer. By fall, staff will be hired for the department in anticipation of the January 2022 opening.

Vaccination update

This week, Delaware County received 2,000 doses of vaccine and expects to receive 2,000 doses next week.  Last week, the county received 1,200 doses.

Pennsylvania has not seen its vaccine supply increase since the beginning of January.  Almost half of the vaccine received is allocated for long-term care facilities which have experienced the largest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths.

The county continues to urge residents to be patient.

“We know that the need to offer adequate testing, timely test results and vaccinations is the most urgent public health need in the world. There is no greater public health need right now,” said Councilwoman Elaine Paul Schaefer. “While we are experiencing a shortage of vaccines as a nation, our County stands ready with the adequate storage locations to administer the COVID-19 vaccine, and the staff necessary to vaccinate when we begin to get more doses, which we all hope will be soon. We have prepared and are ready.”

For more information on COVID-19, vaccinations and the timeline for the new health department, visit www.delcopa.gov/health/index.html , or click here.

You can also contact the county’s COVID019 Call Center with any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine or testing at 484-276-2100, or by emailing Covid19Resources@co.delaware.pa.us.