Butler Health System will continue with vaccination plans that differ slightly from the state's.

For the time being, BHS will limit vaccinations to ages 75 and older instead of expanding to meet the guidance by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which on Monday expanded Phase 1A to include people ages 65 and older.

“The curveball yesterday was unexpected,” said Dr. Dave Rottinghaus, BHS chief medical officer. “The frustrating part is not the task of vaccinating so many people. It's the lack of supply and the inability to plan.”

BHS on Wednesday unveiled its updated registration forms for the vaccine.

On Monday, the forms were tailored toward medical professionals; however, the new forms also account for people registering from the age 75 and older group.

The form is only available online at https://www.butlerhealthsystem.org/CoronaVirus/COVID-19-Vaccine.

Rottinghaus said the administration is also reaching out to the system's doctors to show them how to assist people who may not have access to the internet. If someone is facing having difficulties, he recommends that person reach out to a friend, family member or their doctor about getting help.

“We'll continue to modify for the conditions people can register for the vaccine,” Rottinghaus said. “We're trying to make it as easy and straightforward as possible.”

Rottinghaus also noted that those being vaccinated in the ages 75 and up category are on a first-come, first-served basis.

For those unable to get a vaccine immediately, he suggests continued mitigation efforts being practiced through the pandemic, such as wearing a mask, washing hands and distancing 6 feet from others.

“Keep staying safe,” Rottinghaus said. “We will get you vaccinated.”

COVID-19's toll

As of Wednesday, the state's status remained in Phase 1A of its vaccine distribution plans as the pandemic continued to take lives.

In addition to the death of seven residents because of COVID-19, the county also added 50 new confirmed cases, according to the daily report from the state Department of Health.

The county had seen a daily decline in new cases over the three days leading up to Wednesday. Also during that time, the county added two deaths, well below the daily average of about five deaths per day throughout the month of January.

Statewide, 5,984 confirmed cases of the virus were added, and the addition of 401 deaths set a single-day record.

Rottinghaus said he knows some are scared and even more are excited to get vaccinated, but they must wait their turn.

“The best thing to do is allow us to target those groups,” he said. “Everyone in that 1A has a very strong reason to be at the top of the list.”

Rottinghaus said since the beginning of the pandemic, BHS has vaccinated more than 3,000 people between the two hospitals, with some of those vaccinations being second doses.

He said the supply is finite, and they have to make sure that each week they are getting the appropriate patients their second dose, which is equally as important as getting the first dose.

“We're pushing it out as fast as we can receive it,” he said.

Doses are distributed first by the federal government, whose distributions this week and next week are expected to remain the same. The Department of Health receives these distributions and sends them mostly to hospitals and health systems due to limited supplies at the federal level.

Rottinghaus said this will continue to affect how quickly they can vaccinate the community.

“If they find a way to ship out 10,000 vaccines a week, we will find a way to administer those,” Rottinghaus said. “We will challenge the state to get us more and more.”