This is going to be the next thing w these criminal liberal pos delaying opening up. They will claim we can't open up until everyone gets a shot which will be never. At this point, w the vax available to everyone, we should just let the chips fall where they may. You want it? Great. You don't wan't it? Great. Enough is enough.
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Gov. Wolf says Pa. faces ‘new reality’ — a lack of people who want COVID-19 vaccine
Pennlive ^ | 22 April A.D. 2021 | David Wenner
Posted on 4/22/2021, 3:43:06Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday described a sudden drop in demand for COVID-19 vaccines, with places around the state that had waiting lists a few weeks ago now able to offer plenty of next-day appointments.
“Now we’re in a new phase. The line is a lot shorter than it was. The supply is a lot better than it was. We need to recognize that new reality,” he said.
Wolf said state officials noticed the drop off last week. It prompted the decision to open vaccine eligibility to everyone 16 and older as of last Tuesday, nearly a week earlier than planned.
Yet even after greatly expanding the eligibility pool, demand is still down, said Dr. Gerald Maloney, the chief medical officer for Montour County-based Geisinger Health System.
He said next-day appointments are available; not long ago Geisinger was booked several weeks out.
“We seem to be at the point where most of the people who want to be vaccinated, in the eligible group, have come forward and been vaccinated,” Maloney said.
He said “vaccine hesitancy is a major problem right now.”
Maloney expressed grave concern over the situation, saying Pennsylvania needs to get to the level of least 70% of residents being vaccinated and, ideally, around 90%.That would make it highly unlikely people will pass COVID-19 to others. Moreover, people who aren’t vaccinated can enable COVID-19 to mutate into more contagious and dangerous strains, and possibly strains that aren’t blocked by existing vaccines.
“It’s the unvaccinated people who become infected who give rise to the variants,” he said.
Wolf said about 45% of eligible Pennsylvanians have received at least a first dose, above the national average of 40%, and about 27% are fully vaccinated, also above the national average.
However, Wolf and other state officials said Thursday the state is about to launch an effort to persuade people such as those who are convinced the vaccine is unsafe or unnecessary. Many of them are located in rural counties. Wolf said the state must also continue reaching racial minorities and those in impoverished communities who face barriers to getting vaccinated or are reluctant.
Wolf and several other state officials were trying to further that effort Thursday during a visit to See Right Pharmacy in uptown Harrisburg.
They described plans to work with a range of people and organizations, from local elected officials to clergy to local doctors and pharmacists who are trusted and in position to convince people COVID-19 vaccine is well-tested, safe and beneficial.
“I’m not resigned to anybody not getting a shot,” Wolf said.
He cited the fact that well over 80% of Pennsylvania seniors are vaccinated as cause for optimism.
“We should not resign ourselves to less than the numbers we need to get to herd immunity,” Wolf said, adding that “more and more people recognize this is not just about them.”
“You’re doing this as an act of compassion. You’re actually doing something that’s going to help people around you and that’s really important, because the sooner we can get to that point the sooner we can get back to normal,” Wolf said.
