This is the latest Live Well Allegheny e-update. It is full of information that will help in making Allegheny County healthy for all. This can also be shared with your own networks. More information is available on our website at: www.livewellallegheny.com including partner resources which are available here.

We now have 209 community partners, 68 municipalities, 53 restaurants, 33 workplaces and 18 school districts united in our efforts to make Allegheny County healthy for all!

Also, be sure to like and follow the Allegheny County Health Department on Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date on all ACHD news.

Hello Live Well Allegheny community,

March 14 marks the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 case in Allegheny County. Just a week later, we announced the first COVID-related death. Now we have seen tens of thousands of cases, thousands of hospitalizations and are nearing 2,000 deaths from the coronavirus. We probably have all known someone who was impacted by the pandemic. Perhaps you, yourself, are part of those statistics.

In the very early days of the pandemic, ACHD was tasked with making certain that our community had enough testing. It wasn’t easy, but through strong partnerships, we were able to quickly stand up a mobile testing site that is still serving our county today. Testing continues to be an important component of our COVID response. On any given days, residents may seek testing at our site in McKeesport, or may visit one of our mobile units, if they have symptoms or are a close contact of a case.

We have also encouraged everyone to continue doing what we know works. Our experience shows that we can reduce the threat of the virus by taking simple steps — wearing masks, remaining physically distant, and washing hands. You have heard it before, but it remains true. This is true even if you had the COVID vaccine.

Of course, as more and more people become vaccinated, we are beginning to move closer to some type of normal where we can even gather with those we love. But we must not let down our guard. Wearing masks, washing our hands, and remaining physically distant may still be our new norm until we learn more about the virus and the vaccine.

Importantly, for all of us, we have continued to share information and provide detail to the public on the virus, testing and the vaccine with public webpages which are frequently updated with the most up-to-date information. If you haven’t recently, please visit AlleghenyCounty.us/coronavirus.

There have been many needs that resulted from the pandemic and responding to them has taken all branches of government, the business community, foundations, community organizations, and others working together. This united response is at the heart of all that is great about our region. We are grateful to count Live Well Allegheny members among those partners and are fortunate to have all of you working with us.

It’s been quite a year. As we continue in that vein, let us remember to stay safe and be kind.

Covid-19 Vaccine PODs in Allegheny County

* The Health Department announced that it will be opening three additional COVID-19 vaccine points of dispensing (POD) before the end of March. The PODs will be staffed through a variety of community partnerships and will include a temporary site in Oakland, a site for targeted outreach in the Central Hill District, and a community POD in Ross Township. All sites will be by appointment only with anyone arriving without an appointment, or not meeting priority criteria being turned away. There are no walk-up registrations available. As has been the case, all appointments will be announced through Allegheny Alerts and then posted on the county’s COVID Vaccine page. Residents without Internet access, or having difficulty navigating the online registration system, may contact 2-1-1 for assistance in scheduling when appointments are available.

Ross Township Community Center, located on Municipal Center Drive just off of McKnight Road, will be the host for a community Covid-19 vaccination Point-of-Dispensing (POD) beginning in mid-March.

* To be notified of new clinic dates, please sign up for Allegheny Alerts. Visit AlleghenyCounty.us/alerts to sign up for free. More information about vaccines can be found on the health department’s COVID Vaccine page.

* The Health Department offers free COVID-19 testing at walk-up locations throughout Allegheny County and at its McKeesport testing site. More information about testing in the county is available at on the Health Department’s Information on COVID-19 Testing webpage. Also, follow the Health Department on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest walk-up locations.

* Questions about COVID or need help? Please call 2-1-1. The Health Department and the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania are working together to provide residents with information about COVID-19 and resources to help stay safe and healthy.

Getting a flu vaccine can reduce your risk of getting the flu and help save scarce medical resources needed to care for people with COVID-19. The Live Well Allegheny campaign through the county Health Department was highlighted as a Flu Fighter as part of the Center for Disease Control’s flu vaccination campaign. To learn more about our efforts to increase flu vaccination in Allegheny County, check out the Flu Fighters Story.

The Allegheny County Health Department WIC Program, in collaboration with the Allegheny County Breastfeeding Coalition, is seeking nominations for its annual Breastfeeding Friendly Places Awards.

The awards are presented to workplaces, public places and other sites away from home that make an extra effort to help breastfeeding moms by offering a positive attitude and supportive environment.

To nominate an employer, public place or other site outside the home for the awards, please visit the Breastfeeding Friendly Place Awards nomination page. Nominations will be accepted until June 4, 2021, and the awards will be announced during World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7, 2021.

Congratulations to Steel Valley School District’s SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) student group for being named Pennsylvania’s SADD Chapter of the Year! The group is made up of 100 students who bring awareness to their peers about the importance of making good decisions and living positive, healthy lives.

Is your community interested in becoming more bike-friendly or applying to the League of American Bicyclists for a Bicycle Friendly Community ^RM designation?  If so, join the Southwestern PA Commission virtually on Monday, March 29^th to learn more about building bicycle friendly communities and the League’s Bicycle Friendly Community application process!

Bicycle Friendly Community ^RM Workshop
Monday, March 29, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 am.
Workshop Meeting Link

Thank you & be well!

The Live Well Allegheny Team

Allegheny County Health Department
Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Program