GCHD aims to educate on vaccines: Locals’ hesistancy runs relatively high

In March, the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation found 21% of Washingtonians are hesitant toward getting the vaccine. In Grant County, about 31% of people have gotten at least one shot, one of the lowest rates statewide.

Much of this can be credited to culture and misconceptions, said Moses Lake Mayor Dr. David Curnel, who is on the board of the Grant County Health District (GCHD).

“Obviously we have a very conservative community and a lot of people feel the vaccine was rushed,” he said. “They are not sure it’s safe and therefore there’s this reluctance to take the vaccine.”

A key component is education, Curnel said, understanding it’s not much different than taking the flu shot.

The GCHD has made an effort to share all new information from the Department of Health (DOH) online, via its website and Facebook page, to dispel myths, said Misty Aguilar, GCHD public information officer.

According to the Department of Health (DOH), people who have already had COVID-19 should still get the vaccine. While it is uncommon to be re-infected within 90 days, immunity doesn’t last forever.

Vaccine side effects are normal, such as a sore arm, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain, but these typically go away a day or two after the shot and are signs the vaccine is working. According to the DOH, people will not get lasting sickness from the vaccine.

There are no microchips or any tracking devices administered through the vaccine. According to the DOH, this is science fiction.

There are also no home remedies that can prevent or cure COVID-19. Any information about these are myths.

Like other vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines contain fat, salts and sugars to work in the body, according to the DOH. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines also use messenger RNA, while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a safe cold virus to help the body identify and fight COVID-19.

There is not fetal tissue or DNA in the vaccine, the DOH said.

Along with education, a simpler vaccine process would help boost the vaccination rate, said Warden Mayor and GCHD Board Member Tony Massa.

“Those people out there who have misconceptions, I don’t know if you are going to change their mind,” he said. “I would hope that we can, but I mean talking to some of them, it’s pretty hard to get them to bend.”

People who initially were against the shot received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because it was administered in just a single dose, he said.

Some people locally feel that pandemic protection is personal responsibility, Curnel said .

“I’m not implying good or bad. I’m just saying that people, no matter what the science is, are saying, ‘If i get it, that’s my responsibility. I’m the one who didn’t wear a mask, and you can’t tell me to wear a mask,’” he said.

Members of the Catholic church have questioned if it’s moral to get the vaccine, according to the DOH. Bishop Joseph Tyson of the Catholic Diocese of Yakima said it is not a sin to get the vaccine, as its benefits outweigh the concerns of its development.

While younger people may be affected less by the virus, it’s important to acknowledge who is around and who may be vulnerable, Massa said, especially entering a season of barbecues, quinceaneras and other family events.

Some community members have been vocal for the vulnerable population.

“Anyone who is around me for more than a few minutes learns quickly that in addition to being a tiny, salty chemist instructor, I am the mother (of) a child with type 1 diabetes,” wrote Big Bend Community College Professor Sarah Bauer in an email entitled ‘My vaccination plea to Grant County’ to members of the GCHD. “My daughter is not old enough yet to get the vaccine and so depends on her community (for now) to create a bubble of immunity around her.”

Massa, being high risk, received his dose in March, he said. Many in his home are high risk, as well.

“I think if we really look, we have a lot more of those people in our lives than we realize,” he said.