![]() ![]() population has been fully vaccinated, with about 65% receiving at least one dose as of June 16, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.ĭr. adult population (ages 18 and up) to have had at least one dose by July Fourth. The Biden administration’s goal is for at least 70% of the U.S. Vaccine apathy, or the need to prioritize other life challenges over getting vaccinated, is also a major factor, Schulman said. Kevin Schulman, a professor of medicine at Stanford University, said there has been a misconception that vaccine hesitancy is the only reason people are avoiding the shots. ![]() “The COVID pandemic overlaid with the natural disasters-people find themselves in situations that they’ve never been in before.”ĭr. We had an ice event, and we had the flooding event two or three weeks ago,” Berthelot said. “Louisiana faced a series of hurricanes in the fall, and we’ve had two flooding events since the beginning of 2021. And for some people with low incomes, they said, food and housing insecurity simply take precedence over getting a vaccine. McKinney of Mississippi and Sarah Berthelot, the president of the Louisiana Association of United Ways, said that in their states, the vaccination barriers include internet illiteracy and fears of using public transportation. “As a pediatrician, as a person involved in communicable disease for pretty much my whole career, I’m really distressed that we have such low numbers,” Landers said. They are also working with the American Academy of Pediatrics to get kids vaccinated. They have produced public service announcements featuring University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban and NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, an Alabama native.Īs an incentive to get vaccinated, they are offering people who get the shot a chance to drive their car or truck on the Talladega Superspeedway, and they are considering other sweeteners. “It’s just a real challenge,” Landers told Stateline.Īlabama public health officials have provided transportation, partnered with local health centers and leaders, opened vaccine sites for extended hours, and pushed fact-based information through local television, digital and print news outlets and social media. Karen Landers, Alabama’s assistant state health officer, expressed frustration that no matter how much she’s reminded people about the devastating effects of COVID-19 or educated them about the science behind the vaccines, some people just refuse to get the shots. Community groups and health experts say local leaders must educate people, develop equitable incentives and creatively market the vaccines to hesitant groups.īut such steps haven’t made a huge difference in Alabama, where only 39% of the adult population is fully vaccinated, the second lowest state rate after Mississippi.ĭr. Others prioritize pressing life challenges. For some, it’s a matter of freedom of choice. Some people who continue to decline vaccinations cite erroneous information from social media or say they distrust medical providers. Instead, people’s personal beliefs and economic circumstances are the primary impediments-and those are tougher for public health officials and community leaders to overcome. Thanks to distribution efforts and the overall increase in the supply of vaccines, access is no longer the main problem to boosting vaccination rates. But vaccination rates continue to lag in rural Southern states such as Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, which rank near the bottom in the country for vaccine uptake. “I think it’s more of the fear of the unknown than them having access to transportation.”įederal and state officials have made vaccines available at community health centers and pharmacies and added mobile units to expand access to the shots. “I don’t think transportation is the issue,” McKinney told Stateline. Once COVID-19 vaccinations became available, the agency offered free rides to vaccination sites, but as vaccine supply exceeded demand in Mississippi and vaccine hesitancy persisted, the calls for rides dropped. McKinney, a Bolivar County native, offered people free rides through the county’s council on aging, where she serves as executive director. ![]() At the beginning of the pandemic, LaShonda McKinney knew access to transportation would be a barrier for some people in the rural Mississippi Delta who needed a COVID-19 test. Read Stateline coverage of the inequities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.ĬLARKSDALE, Miss. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |