ERLANGER, Ky. (WKRC) – Phase 1C opened for vaccine eligibility in Kentucky and Ohio this week.
Experts at St. Elizabeth Healthcare said they’ve added more than 3,000 appointments to expand capacity just this week. They’re also very concerned about those choosing not to get the vaccine.
Right now, one of the biggest obstacles for us to reach herd immunity is what’s called vaccine hesitancy. A third of us still say we won’t get the vaccine, but that rate is higher in certain people.
A study just released from Ohio University found younger people in Ohio, as well as those who are Black and Hispanic, are less likely to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
Researchers surveyed more than 2,300 adults in Ohio. They found about 60% of adults said they would get a vaccine, but in those ages 18 to 24, it was 24%.
Women were less likely than men to get it.
Sixty percent of white people surveyed said they would get it. Only about 45% of those who are Black or Hispanic asked said they would get it.
Local 12 recently asked Dr. DP Suresh to explain why this might be true:
“There’s a lot of misinformation that’s being passed,” said Dr. Suresh, an interventional cardiologist at St. Elizabeth Healthcare. “I have a lot of patients and friends who are African American. My staff has been vaccinated. The idea is the more people who get vaccinated, the better it is for them.”
The misinformation is spreading mainly online. If you read something, please talk to your own health care provider about it. Don’t assume because it’s on the internet it’s true.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask specific questions about each vaccine, how it works and voice your concerns.
Dr. Suresh reminded us there are different outcomes with heart disease in different ethnic populations. He said we all have the same outcomes if we get care early. The vaccine is the same way. It would be tragic if we lose more lives to this virus -- lives of any race or any age -- simply because we’re afraid of the very thing that could keep us from getting it.
To get an appointment to get your COVID-19 vaccine in Kentucky, click here. You may not see any available appointments, but if you go back and check, slots open up as people cancel appointments.
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