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As vaccination rates fall among western Pennsylvania school-aged children, health officials sound the alarm

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As vaccination rates fall among western Pennsylvania school-aged children, health officials sound the alarm


A public health concern that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to affect Pennsylvania schools: vaccine hesitancy. New state data shows vaccination rates among school-aged children are slipping below levels recommended to keep communities safe.

Data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health shows fewer students are arriving at school fully vaccinated, despite state requirements, and the numbers continue to fall.

“When we see these vaccination rates drop, we are really putting our community at risk, and that’s a major public health concern,” said Dr. Natalie Gentile of Direct Care Physicians.

One of the most concerning declines involves the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. Health experts say communities need at least 95% coverage to maintain herd immunity. But last school year, MMR rates among Pennsylvania kindergarteners dropped to 93.7%.

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Dr. Gentile said these early vaccines are essential.

“A big concern, especially, is vaccines like MMR and varicella. These are kindergarten vaccines that you get before school,” said Dr. Gentile.

County-level data shows additional variation across Western Pennsylvania:

  • Allegheny County: 94.1%
  • Butler County: 94.3%
  • Beaver County: 91.5%
  • Fayette County: 92.5%
  • Westmoreland County: 92.1%

Only Washington County met herd-immunity levels at 95.6%.

“This is putting kids who are unvaccinated at risk. It’s also putting people who are elderly or immunocompromised at risk of getting diseases that we haven’t seen in a long time,” said Gentile.

While Pennsylvania permits religious, philosophical, and medical exemptions, doctors say the decline falls deeper.

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“There are also concerns people have with vaccine hesitancy… They’re worried about their kids getting vaccinated due to some rhetoric on social media or in the community. As a parent, I understand having these questions and concerns,” said Dr. Gentile.

Gentile says moving forward will require open conversations grounded in facts.

“It’s not something that should be judged or shamed. But it is an important conversation for doctors and parents to have so kids can be set up for the most health and safety and so we can take care of our community at large,” said Dr. Gentile.



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2 Pennsylvania firefighters killed in vehicle collision during a search for a missing woman

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2 Pennsylvania firefighters killed in vehicle collision during a search for a missing woman


RICHMOND TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Two firefighters traveling in a utility vehicle along a Pennsylvania road during a search for a missing woman were killed in a head-on crash with a car, officials said.

The two members of the Walnuttown Fire Company died after the crash with a Toyota Camry at about 6 p.m. Saturday, roughly 45 miles (72 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia. Fire Chief Jeff Buck and Assistant Fire Chief Robert Shick Jr. were heading north when they were struck by a sedan heading south on Route 222, according to the Berks County Coroner.

NBC Philadelphia reported that the utility vehicle was riding on the shoulder of Route 222 when the Camry swerved off of the road. Police told the station that a male and a female who were in the Camry when it crashed fled and were later arrested.

Video from the crash scene shows the utility vehicle on its side.

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No further details about the arrest or the search for the missing woman were immediately available Sunday.

A call and an email seeking information were made to the Fleetwood Police Department.

Autopsies on the firefighters, both residents of Fleetwood, were scheduled for Monday.

“At this time we would like to send our thoughts and prayers” to the Shick and Buck families, the Walnuttown Fire Company said in a Facebook post. “Rest easy chiefs, we got it from here.”

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Toddler injured by wolf after crawling under Pennsylvania zoo’s exterior metal fence

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Toddler injured by wolf after crawling under Pennsylvania zoo’s exterior metal fence


A toddler was lightly injured by a wolf at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after he crawled under a fence and stuck his hand into the animal’s enclosure, officials at the zoo confirmed Sunday.The child was never inside the wolf habitat at the ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, which is part of the Hersheypark theme park, and the officials characterized the injuries as minor without elaborating.After the “unsupervised” child reached the metal enclosure around the wolf habitat on Saturday morning and put his hand through, a wolf approached “and made contact with the child’s hand,” according to a statement from the zoo.”This type of response is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression,” the zoo said in a statement. “Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing. Guests are expected to remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times.”The zoo is part of the entertainment complex in Hershey, Pennsylvania, featuring a chocolate-themed amusement park. The zoo’s website says it has three gray wolves.Hersheypark made headlines last summer when a lost boy wandering a monorail line above a crowd was rescued by a park visitor who climbed onto a building and jumped onto the rails. The child was unharmed and reunited with his family.

A toddler was lightly injured by a wolf at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after he crawled under a fence and stuck his hand into the animal’s enclosure, officials at the zoo confirmed Sunday.

The child was never inside the wolf habitat at the ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, which is part of the Hersheypark theme park, and the officials characterized the injuries as minor without elaborating.

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After the “unsupervised” child reached the metal enclosure around the wolf habitat on Saturday morning and put his hand through, a wolf approached “and made contact with the child’s hand,” according to a statement from the zoo.

“This type of response is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression,” the zoo said in a statement. “Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing. Guests are expected to remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times.”

The zoo is part of the entertainment complex in Hershey, Pennsylvania, featuring a chocolate-themed amusement park. The zoo’s website says it has three gray wolves.

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Hersheypark made headlines last summer when a lost boy wandering a monorail line above a crowd was rescued by a park visitor who climbed onto a building and jumped onto the rails. The child was unharmed and reunited with his family.



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MSU football locks in official visit with underrated CB prospect from Pennsylvania

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MSU football locks in official visit with underrated CB prospect from Pennsylvania


Michigan State football has locked in an official visit with an intriguing defensive back prospect from Pennsylvania.

Trey Hopkins of Wyndmoor, Pa. announced on Saturday that he’s scheduled an official visit to Michigan State for late May. According to a social media post from Hopkins, he will visit Michigan State on May 29.

Hopkins is currently unranked and unrated on 247Sports. He is listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, and plays for La Salle College. His position is listed as cornerback.

Michigan State extended Hopkins an offer in late February, and is one of nearly 20 schools to offer him, according to 247Sports. Other than his offer from the Spartans, Hopkins has received offers from Penn State, Maryland, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Wake Forest, USF, Temple, James Madison, Liberty, Miami (OH) and some other group of five or FCS programs.

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Michigan State will be the first of three currently scheduled official visits for Hopkins. According to 247Sports, he will also take official visits to Virginia Tech (June 5) and Penn State (June 11).

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.





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