Thunder in the Valley crowds offered free COVID-19 shots during rally

Randy Griffith, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read
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Jun. 23—In addition to the "shots" available at the Thunderbolt Saloon locations and local taverns, Thunder in the Valley will feature free COVID-19 shots.

Highlands Health, Johnstown's free medical clinic, will offer COVID-19 vaccines during the bike rally.

Vaccines will be given from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday in the State Farm parking lot at 338 Walnut St., and State Farm will be selling hot dogs, chips and water, with proceeds benefiting Highlands Health.

In addition, State Farm will be offering T-shirts, frisbees, and other items to those who donate. As part of State Farm's "Quotes for Good" program, the insurance company will donate $2 to Highlands Health for every quote generated.

All those receiving vaccine shots will get free funnel cakes, and funnel cakes will also be for sale to benefit the clinic.

Saturday's vaccine event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 340 Main St., in conjunction with the annual Thunder parade.

Advance registration is suggested at www.highlandshealthclinic.com, but not required.

Across Pennsylvania, vaccine providers have now administered 11,482,733 doses, the Department of Health reported Wednesday. There are 5,275,816 people fully vaccinated and another 1,364,816 who are are partially vaccinated, meaning they have received one dose of a two-dose vaccine.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 infections continue to drop. There were six new COVID-19 cases and no additional deaths across the eight-county region in Wednesday's health department update.

Westmoreland County added three cases and Cambria, Somerset and Indiana counties each had one new positive among 174 cases statewide. Eight new deaths bring Pennsylvania's totals to 1,210,820 cases and 27,612 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

Hospitalizations have plummeted, with just 394 inpatients being treated for COVID-19 in Pennsylvania hospitals. That includes 87 intensive-care unit patients and 64 on ventilators or breathing machines.

In the local area, there were 20 patients in Cambria, Blair and Bedford county hospitals, with three in ICUs and three on ventilators.

There were no COVID-19 patients in Somerset County hospitals, the department reported.

Four weeks ago, there were 1,172 hospitalized statewide and 52 in Cambria, Blair, Somerset and Bedford counties.