SUN-GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

Lycoming County commissioners voted to extend the Declaration of Disaster Emergency for another 90 days at their weekly meeting.

The declaration allows the county to continue to be eligible for government funding related to COVID-19 issues.

So far, the county has received about $20 million in such funding since the onset of the pandemic last year, according to commissioners.

Commissioner Scott Metzger noted that the COVID infection rate for the county has been trending downward since January.

“I think we are going in the right direction,” he said.

Numbers of infections and deaths from coronavirus showed increases in November and December in the county before falling.

On Tuesday, the state Department of Health confirmed an additional 5,032 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,020,300. Thirty-four additional positive infections were reported for the county.

“I encourage anyone who wants to get a vaccine to get one,” Metzger said.

Unfortunately, the county is not receiving the vaccines it needs, he and other commissioners noted.

Last week, the grassroots group, Let’s End COVID!, reported on its

campaign to get more people vaccinated.

The county has been asked to contribute $50,0000 toward advertising and educational efforts.

“The education campaign is setting the table,” Commissioner Rick Mirabito said.

Commissioner Tony Mussare said at this point he’d be reluctant to approve funding.

“To spend $50,000 on an advertising campaign now is premature,” he said. “We don’t even know if we have enough vaccines.”

Metzger said he hears from people who want but cannot get a vaccine.

“We’d like to have a vaccine center in the county,” he said.