The number of Hart County residents receiving the first dose of the COVID vaccine has decreased from week to week despite only 26 percent of the county having received the first dose, according to the Georgia Department of Health.
On the week of March 21 through 27, an average of 67 residents were receiving their first dose of the vaccine per day. This was the first week all Georgians 16 and over were eligible to receive the vaccination. The latest week, April 25 through May 1, only an average of 12.86 received the first dose of the vaccine each day. As of Monday, May 3, Hart County sits at only 21 percent fully vaccinated.
The reason for the reduced number of people getting vaccines is a problem with demand, not supply, according to District 2 public health spokesperson Dave Palmer.
“We’re seeing that in our region, our state and across the nation the demand for the vaccine has gone down slightly,” Palmer said.
All the COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United State have been shown to be safe and effective at preventing COVID-19, as well as reducing symptoms if you do contract the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Vaccination is the best way to prevent illness and so the vaccine is effective in stopping people from getting serious illness from the COVID virus,” Palmer said. “It has shown that it greatly reduces serious illness and hospitalization so we are encouraging everyone to get vaccinated.”
According to the CDC, scientists are still learning how well vaccines prevent the spread of the virus and how long vaccines protect people.
A large-scale clinical trial is currently underway to determine if those vaccinated can be infected asymptomatically and whether they can transmit the infection to others.
“We are trying to continue to educate people about the importance of getting vaccinated, trying to dispel some of the myths around the vaccine,” Palmer said.
The CDC also says the vaccines cannot give you COVID-19, but side effects are normal as the body produces an immune response to the vaccine.
However, some may be worried about missing work due to symptoms. In a brief from the White House on April 21, President Biden encouraged employers to offer full pay for employees taking time off to get vaccinated and to recover from side effects and announced a paid leave tax credit to offset the cost for employers. The tax credit included in the American Rescue Plan will offset the cost for businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 500 employees for up to 80 hours and up to $511 per day of paid sick leave offered between April 1 and September 30, 2021.
“Providing paid time off for vaccinations is an investment in the safety, productivity and health of an employer’s own workforce and their community,” the White House press release said. “No working person in this country should lose a single dollar from their paycheck to take time to get the shot or recover from it.”
Vaccines are now available in many locations and at no cost.
“It’s pretty easy to get it now,” Palmer said. “The sooner more people that get vaccinated the sooner we can return to our everyday lives.”
