Despite a decline in Pennsylvania’s covid-19 cases, a recent spike of the virus in Allegheny County has prompted health officials to encourage people to get updated vaccinations ahead of this year’s cold and flu season.
While the Pennsylvania Department of Health no longer generates county-level reports on covid-19 cases and hospitalizations, data from the Allegheny Health Department showed 34 cases of covid the week of August 23, the highest reported since the week of April 5, when there were 40 cases.
As of Aug. 30, there were 14 covid cases reported.
Neil Ruhland, a state health department spokesman, said mandatory reporting requirements for covid-19 ended in Pennsylvania when the national public health emergency concluded on May 11, 2023.
“The Pennsylvania Department of Health recommends that Pennsylvanians stay updated with their annual covid-19 and other recommended respiratory vaccinations and continue fundamental health and hygiene practices, like hand-washing, staying home when sick, and avoiding contact with people who have suspected or confirmed respiratory illness,” Ruhland said in a statement.
The state health department and the National Center for Health Statistics reported 591 covid-related deaths in Pennsylvania between 2025 and 2026.
In the last week of August, there were 65 adult hospitalizations and nine pediatric hospitalizations due to covid in Pennsylvania.
As of this week, the percent of people diagnosed with covid-19 during emergency health visits was “very low” for all ages statewide, the health department said.
Ronnie Das, a county health department spokesman, advised taking the number of reported covid-19 cases with “a grain of salt,” since the low number might rise after the season for respiratory illnesses begins.
“At this point, we don’t know how many cases there actually are right now,” Das said. He added that many people may not be reporting cases in September, attributing respiratory issues to head colds or allergies instead of going in for covid testing.
Dr. Raquel Zemtsov, a family medicine physician at UPMC and an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine, also said the number of reported cases in the county likely does not accurately represent the actual number of sick patients in the region.
“Anecdotally, I think it was more than (34 cases) because I had several patients, plus I knew nine people socially who had it,” Zemtsov said.
Dr. Brian Lamb, an internal medicine specialist with Allegheny Health Network, said because the number of covid-19 cases has decreased, many people aren’t getting vaccinated for it anymore.
“It’s basically become one of our nuisance upper respiratory viruses for most people,” Lamb said. “It’s no longer new to our immune systems.”
Covid is now classified among other respiratory illnesses including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus on the department’s website.
Lamb and Zemtsov said they tell their patients to get vaccinated to maintain their body’s resistance to the virus.
“If you haven’t had a covid shot — especially if you haven’t had a covid shot for a couple of years — it’s worth getting that booster,” Lamb said.
He recommends covid-19 boosters for all patients, but especially those over the age of 65 or who have underlying health conditions.
Zemtsov recommended adhering to the American Academy for Family Physicians vaccination schedule, which advises adults ages 65 and older to get vaccinated every six months, and adults ages 19 and older to get vaccinated once a year.
Zemtsov said getting a booster alongside the vaccine can decrease the likelihood of developing long covid — which can cause brain fog, long-term respiratory issues, and cardiovascular complications — and other health conditions.
“Even if you had the primary series, the benefits starts to go down over time,” Zemtsov said. “There’s also been really interesting studies… that primarily show that the risk of dying from anything is lower when you have the covid vaccine.”
For those with reservations about side effects, Lamb said experiencing pain at the vaccination site or developing flu-like symptoms after getting the covid shot are “expected” as the vaccine works to develop antibodies. “Having the side effects usually shows that the vaccine is working,” Lamb said.
Both Lamb and Zemtsov encouraged patients to talk to their doctors about vaccine and booster availability.
Das said reported cases will be more accurate in mid-November, when the season for respiratory illnesses is in full swing.
Ruhland said if symptoms develop, Pennsylvanians should test for covid-19 early and seek medical care promptly, as antiviral treatments are most effective when started soon after illness begins.
To prevent illness, Zemtsov said individuals can wear masks at their discretion.