There have been a number of letters to the editor regarding the need for a Westmoreland County health department. Other than help to get the covid-19 vaccines, I have not read anything about what other functions the department would provide. I don’t think authorizing and building a new county agency, adding to the existing mix of federal, state and health care systems involved, would speed up distribution of the covid-19 vaccines.

The biggest hindrance appears to be a scheduling problem, not a health problem. There is no centralized scheduling system in the state, and it’s likely too late to get one rolled out in time to be of much use. I think it would be better if the existing state health department undertook a vaccine scheduling system as an objective going forward.

Perhaps we should seek the voluntary aid of one or several of the state’s many fine universities to keep the cost low.

Alan Hill

Irwin

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