The Butler VA Health Care System is offering COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible veterans of all ages.

Veterans of all ages enrolled in the VA system and those eligible for vaccinations can schedule an appointment and learn more about the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines by calling 878-271-6753 Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Butler VA has been offering and administering vaccine to VA employees and veterans who receive care at the VA and who meet current guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Veterans can receive vaccine update information online by registering at https://www.va.gov/covid-19-vaccine.

Butler VA said it receives vaccine shipments weekly, but the quantity varies, and it is committed to exhausting all supply each week.

On Thursday, Acting Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Alison Beam marked the one-year anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The World Health Organization announced the first coronavirus outbreak in late January 2020, and on March 11, 2020, declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.

“It has been an incredibly challenging year for so many. The unimaginable loss of far too many lives. We remember them today and every day, those left to grieve and rebuild, and those who struggle to this day,” Beam said. “As we continue to navigate through this pandemic, it is extremely important that we maintain our collaborative and concentrated state response, remain vigilant and continue to follow the proven public health best practices.”

The health department reported 3,243,472 doses of vaccine have been administered, including 2,178,312 first doses and 1,065,160 second doses statewide. Those numbers include 19,147 people in Butler County who have received one dose and 23,173 who have received both doses. A person is considered fully covered after receiving two doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine that will be administered to school employees is a single-dose vaccine.

The 2,652 new cases reported Thursday raised the statewide total to 958,382 since the pandemic began, including 24 new cases in the county that raises the total to 9,112.

The 51 new deaths across the state raise the total of 24,490 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. One new death was reported in the county, raising the total to 375.

There are 1,513 people hospitalized, including 326 in intensive care. The 14-day average number of people hospitalized per day is about 4,400 lower than it was at the peak on Dec. 25 and lower than what it was at the height of the spring peak on May 3.