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29.5% of county residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Justin Addison, Editor/Publisher
Posted 4/20/21

Nearly a third of Howard County’s 10,001 residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and almost a quarter have completed the vaccination process. According to the Show-Me …

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29.5% of county residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Posted

Nearly a third of Howard County’s 10,001 residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and almost a quarter have completed the vaccination process. According to the Show-Me Strong Recovery dashboard, 2,948 initial doses have been given, which is 29.4% of the county’s population. So far 22.4% of residents are fully vaccinated.

The data is tabulated through Sunday, April 18.

The two leading vaccines are produced by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Both require two doses, about a month apart. Both have been proven to be better than 90% effective at preventing symptomatic Covid infection after two doses. Another vaccine produced by Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen requires only one dose, but is less effective, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC, along with the Food and Drug Administration, have paused usage of the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine of an abundance of caution, effective Tuesday, April 13, due to reports of blood clotting. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will hold its second emergency meeting to discuss the vaccine on April 23. People who have received the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine within the past three weeks who develop a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath should seek immediate medical care.

The majority of vaccinations in Fayette have been administered by Fitzgibbon Hospital through its Family Health Clinic here, which conducts weekly events at Central Methodist University. Sam’s Health Mart in Fayette has also administered a significant number of doses. Both are using either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna vaccines.

The state opened eligibility for every adult in Missouri to receive the vaccine on April 9.

Jared Bushman, a pharmacist at Sam’s Health Mart, said he has seen a high demand for the vaccine, particularly those seeking the second dose. He estimated that the pharmacy administered around 20 per day last week. About half of those seeking the vaccine have been younger people, he said.

Sam’s is currently using the Moderna vaccine. And despite the demand, there are plenty of doses. “We will not run out of doses any time soon,” Bushman said.

Despite the high demand in the county, Howard County Public Health Department director Marsha Broadus said she has had very few inquiries for the vaccine. “Our phones have quit ringing,” she said.

Broadus said the department still has about 10 doses left but does not plan on ordering more. She directs anyone seeking the vaccine to either Fitzgibbon or Sam’s. 

One of those who are now fully vaccinated is Howard County Eastern District Commissioner Jeff Stockhorst. He received his second dose Monday morning. He encourages every adult in the county to get the vaccine.

Howard County has had 1,095 positive cases of COVID-19 reported through April 19, according to the Howard County Public Health Department. Currently, the county does not have any positive cases. Nine deaths have been attributed to the virus in this county. 

Central Methodist University in Fayette currently has no active cases among either personnel or students on campus. Since the start of the fall semester, 53 employees and 354 students have tested positive for the virus.

Statewide Missouri has recorded 577,317 positive cases and 8,635 confirmed deaths, according to the SMSR dashboard. So far 2,101,443 Missourians, or 34.2% of the state, have received the first dose. A total of 1,425,312 people in Missouri have been fully vaccinated.

Vaccine Hesitancy Challenges Remain Potential Barrier To Herd Immunity

Despite the high demand for vaccines, new polling by the Missouri Hospital Association regarding attitudes about COVID-19 vaccination finds that in certain populations of adults, significant work remains to convince those who have not yet received the vaccine. The new polling finds approximately half of the sample already was vaccinated, and an additional 11% more Missourians say they plan to get the vaccine. However, the 28% who do not plan to seek vaccination may hinder Missouri’s ability to reach herd immunity.

“With vaccination now available to all Missourians ages 16 and older, and vaccine supply significantly growing, Missouri should be poised to experience a sharp increase in protection from COVID-19,” said Herb B. Kuhn, MHA President and CEO. “However, that protection — and the road to herd immunity — will be dependent on significant ongoing demand for vaccination. These data point to promise in meeting the bottom thresholds of herd immunity of approximately 65% but a real challenge in meeting the upper thresholds without a significant change in attitudes toward vaccination.”

Researchers found a strong correlation between the number of information Missourians have about COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination rates. Among the strongest arguments for vaccine-hesitant Missourians are that the vaccine is nearly 100% effective, vaccination is free, and that despite the speed of vaccine approval, scientific standards were maintained in development and testing.

 “All Missourians have a stake in the success of the vaccination effort,” Kuhn said. “Despite ongoing public education efforts, too many Missourians remain unclear or unconvinced about the value of vaccination and the cost. Moreover, some of the polling results are counterintuitive. For example, the uninsured can receive the vaccine at no cost, which should reduce barriers.

Insurance status was a strong indicator of intention to seek vaccination, with 52% of the uninsured indicating they will not receive a vaccination. Only 15% of the uninsured participating in the study indicate they have received a vaccination. With vaccination offered at no cost to the uninsured, additional outreach and education to this population may help increase vaccination rates.

As researchers found in the January polling, an individual’s political viewpoint is a strong indicator of intent to seek vaccination. Conservatives are less likely to indicate they will pursue vaccination. This includes younger Missourians — ages 18-44 and self-identifying as Republicans — as the least likely to vaccinate. Democrats, including those in this same age cohort, are among the most likely to pursue vaccination. At the same time, African Americans — a demographic hard-hit by the pandemic — are more likely to indicate they will not pursue vaccination. 

Also consistent with the January polling, nearly 90% of Missourians view their own physician or health care provider as a trusted source of information about the vaccine. More than two-thirds trust public health organizations, including local public health leaders, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Recommendations from elected officials are more polarized.  

 “Since early vaccination eligibility was risk-based, many of the most vulnerable have been vaccinated,” Kuhn said. “However, only 23% of all Missourians — or 44% of those ages 18 or older — have completed their vaccination process. To reach herd immunity, a much larger share of Missourians must participate in the process. That will require all stakeholders working together to understand the barriers and get the message out.”  

 The polling, by American Viewpoint, was conducted April 11-14, covering a diverse cross-section of 800 Missouri adults. A summary of the survey findings is available.

The Missouri Hospital Association is a not-for-profit association in Jefferson City that represents 140 Missouri hospitals. In addition to representation and advocacy on behalf of its membership, the association offers continuing education programs on current health care topics and seeks to educate the public about health care issues.

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