Any state resident who wants a COVID-19 vaccine will be able to schedule an appointment beginning April 19, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

The department also said Wednesday that people working in targeted, front-line industries can get vaccinated with any of the three available vaccines immediately.

Those workers are police officers, sheriffs and deputies, constables, corrections officers and staff, probation and parole staff, career and volunteer firefighters, grocery store employees and food and agriculture workers, including meat, poultry and dairy processing employees, fresh fruit and vegetable packing workers, food manufacturing employees, farm workers and urban agriculture employees.

The department's accelerated vaccination schedule allows residents in the 1B phase of the state's vaccination plan to begin scheduling vaccinations Monday, residents in 1C on April 12 and all residents on April 19.

Phase 1B includes teachers and some front-line workers who can get shots now, as well as U.S. Postal Service workers, clergy, transit employees, people who care for children and adults in day programs, and people in congregate settings.

Phase 1C includes people working in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater facilities, housing construction, finance and banks, information technology, communications, media, energy, legal services and federal, state and local government.

Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam said the push to increase vaccination is a result of increased vaccine allocations and the speed and efficiency of the vaccination process.

“The vaccine landscape continues to evolve as the federal government is increasing allocations to more retail pharmacy chains across the country,” Beam said. “To ensure that vaccine continues to get to people efficiently and equitably, Pennsylvania is adapting its plan to allow workers in targeted industries to access any of the three vaccines available at providers throughout the state, and to accelerate our eligibility for remaining phases of the state's vaccination plan. Pennsylvania's vaccine providers have dramatically stepped up the pace of vaccinations to an average of 83,000 per day.”

As of Wednesday, 5,154,718 doses of vaccine have been administered. Of those vaccinations, 3,445,484 have been first or single doses and 1,709,234 second doses.

In the county, 20,987 people have been partially vaccinated and 39,653 people are fully vaccinated.

The health department's coronavirus update Wednesday shows 60 new cases in the county, raising the total number of cases to 9,699 since the beginning of the pandemic. No new deaths in the county were reported.

Butler Memorial Hospital reported having 15 patients with COVID-19, including five who are in intensive care.

Statewide, 4,557 new cases increased the total to 1,024,857 since the pandemic began.

The 44 new deaths across the state bring the total to 25,093.

There are 1,980 people hospitalized, including 392 people in intensive care. The 14-day moving average number of people hospitalized per day is about 4,400 lower than it was at the peak in December 2020 and lower than what it was at the height of the spring peak in May 2020. However, the moving average of number of hospitalized patients has started to increase.

In licensed nursing and personal care homes, 69,255 residents and 14,251 employees have COVID-19. Of the total deaths in the state, 12,915 have been residents of nursing or personal care facilities.