Several Central and Northern Pennsylvania counties are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases.

Penn State is extending its COVID-19 vaccination requirement to employees at six additional commonwealth campuses, on top of University Park, by December 8 to comply with President Joe Biden’s executive order, the university announced Tuesday.

Penn State is requiring all University Park campus employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by December 8 to comply with President Joe Biden’s executive order, the university announced Tuesday.

Mount Nittany Medical Center has seen an increase in COVID-19 patients. WPSU spoke with Dr. Upendra Thaker, chief medical officer, and Dr. Tiffany Cabibbo, chief nursing officer and executive vice president for patient care services, about the pandemic and how Mount Nittany Health is responding.

The State of New York gives hospital and nursing home employees until Sept. 27 to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or face termination. That could impact access to healthcare for some residents in the City of Bradford and McKean County, which are served by nearby Olean General Hospital in Southern New York.

Hospitals across the region are treating higher numbers of COVID-19 patients in recent months. Healthcare providers say most of the hospitalizations are among people who are unvaccinated.

Penn State students who have failed to submit to required weekly COVID testing for three weeks have been placed on interim suspension, the university announced in a press release Tuesday. The testing was required for students who didn’t provide proof of vaccination or get an approved exemption.