‘We are getting there’
Dr. Monica Speicher
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
State Rep. Tim O’Neal, R-South Strabane, serves on the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force.
Local doctors and officials are optimistic that the region can reach Gov. Tom Wolf’s incentive to lift mask mandates – and begin a return to pre-COVID normal life – when 70% of Pennsylvania adults are fully vaccinated.
As of Friday, 55.7% of Pennsylvanians 18 and over have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, ranking the state ninth among all 50 states for first doses administered by percentage of population, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
The CDC reported that, as of Friday morning, 50.5% of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated.
Pennsylvania ranks fifth among all 50 states for total doses administered, and first in the United States for residents age 65 and older, with more than 95% vaccinated.
While the pace of vaccinations has slowed significantly, the 70% goal could be reached mid-to-late June, but it won’t be easy and will require continued efforts and education.
“I’m really pleased,” said Dr. Monica Speicher, a family medicine specialist at Washington Health System, noting Washington County ranks among the top 10 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties for the percentage of the population that has received the COVID-19 vaccine, and other demographics, according to the state DOH dashboard. “We are getting there.”
About 59.6% of Washington County’s entire population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and daily cases of the virus continue to decline. An estimated 42% of Greene County residents and nearly 50% of Fayette County residents have gotten at least the first dose of the vaccine.
“Basically, across the board, we’re doing really well,” said state Rep. Tim O’Neal, R-South Strabane, who serves on the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force.
Overcoming vaccine hesitancy is the biggest obstacle Southwestern Pennsylvania, and the state, faces moving forward, Speicher said, emphasizing the importance of getting vaccinated.
Among the holdouts are young adults between 18 and 29 years old.
According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation report, about half of young adults ages 18 to 29 say they have already gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or will do so as soon as possible, but about 25% say they still want to “wait and see” how the vaccine is working, higher than any other age group.
“One of the most challenging age groups is that 18 to 29 group. Those young adults don’t seek medical attention at the same rates as older people, so it’s not surprising, but it is a concern,” said O’Neal. “There is definitely work to be done to encourage them to get vaccinated. It’s important to get the vaccine; science and research shows it’s safe and effective.”
Muriel Nuttall, co-chair of the Fayette County COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force, said younger adults, who are more likely to have asymptomatic or less severe COVID cases, feel like they don’t need to get vaccinated.
“Young people feel like they’re invincible. But we need to care about other people, we need to consider that they’re taking it home to other people,” said Nuttall.
Speicher said the local medical community also has worked to close the vaccine disparities among minority groups – who suffer higher mortality rates – as availability to the vaccine has increased in recent months.
Women, too, continue to outpace men – who historically are less proactive about health care – in receiving the vaccine throughout the region.
Health officials attribute vaccine hesitancy, which could hinder progress toward herd immunity, to misinformation young adults are reading and hearing on social media and other information platforms.
One of the most persistent rumors – and the most frustrating for doctors – is that the vaccine causes infertility in women.
“That has been completely debunked; it’s just not true,” said Speicher. “There is so much misinformation coming from social media and, in many instances, targeting specific groups. There are so many rumors that are causing fear, and they’re simply false.”
She advised those who are hesitant to get the vaccine to talk to their primary care physicians or a medical provider and share their concerns.
“PCPs can talk to their patients and address their concerns and explain the truth and explain what we know,” said Speicher. “It can make a big difference.”
Speicher said the medical community has made inroads vaccinating underserved populations, and will “continue to reach out to the 25% of the population who are undecided.”
Physicians also are encouraging those in the 12- to- 15-year-old group to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
O’Neal said the commonwealth, unlike other states like Ohio, won’t offer incentives such as lottery drawings because Pennsylvania is closing in on the 70% goal.
Nuttall emphasized the significance of educating residents about the importance – and safety – of getting the vaccine.
Throughout the pandemic, the task force has been a presence on social media and local television, and made appearances at organizations and groups to discuss the benefits of the vaccine.
“We need to educate people about the simple science of herd immunity and why it’s so important to get to that point,” said Nuttall. “We did everything in our power to get people into our mass vaccination clinics, short of putting people on the streets and sidewalk, twirling signs.”
Said Nuttall, “What’s most important, from my perspective, is getting residents vaccinated so that businesses can reopen and schools can reopen, and that we can get moving forward again. We have to get the economy running again.”
The bottom line, physicians say, is get vaccinated.
“We’re seeing a decrease in COVID cases, and those we’ve seen are those who are unvaccinated,” said Speicher. “It’s so important to get vaccinated. As physicians, we’re all holding our breath. If not enough people get vaccinated and there’s one mutation that drops us back to where we were a year ago and the vaccines are no longer effective, that’s a health care provider’s biggest fear.”