Vaccine: Issues arise that could cause hesitancy
While Michigan government and hospital leaders are nearly begging for everyone over age 16 to get vaccinated against COVID, two issues have arisen this week that could create more vaccine hesitancy.
The CDC has announced there have been 5,800 breakthrough cases of COVID from people who have been fully vaccinated. That breaks down to 0.008 percent of fully vaccinated people.
“This is not 100% — even once fully vaccinated. Until we get to that herd immunity and take our masks off, it means nothing has changed, this (vaccine) doesn’t turn you into Superman. Life is
going to go on,’’ said Dr. Duane Mezwa, dean of the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine.
According to the CDC, about 40% of the infections were in people older than 60, but breakthrough cases occurred among all age groups. Women comprised 65%, while 29% of the breakthrough infections were asymptomatic and 7% had to be hospitalized.
This week the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was put on pause by the CDC and FDA which has created a lack of confidence in the one-shot vaccine.
A poll by EconomistYouGov showed that after the pause 37 percent indicated that they thought the inoculation was safe which was down from 52 percent before the pause.
Of nearly 7 million in the United States who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, six women reported blood clots with one case leading to death. The FDA advisory board is investigating the concern.
That stoppage could work one of two ways — it could add to the hesitancy or convince doubters that the government is closely monitoring the vaccine’s effects. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines remain safe and effective and it is becoming easier to schedule vaccine appointments.
“We all know people in our lives who are doubters or don’t feel that coronavirus is a severe illness or the consequences might not be severe particularly if we’re young,’’ said Dr. Nick Gilpin, Beaumont Health’s medical director of Infection Prevention and Epidemiology. “I think we need to rewrite that thinking. Frankly I have had the unfortunate opportunity to care for a number of very young patients — without significant medical conditions — who have struggled with COVID. Many of them are suffering consequences well into their illness upwards of 10 or 12 weeks, what we call long COVID.
“I worry that we’re so upside down in terms of our thinking about this that it would be better to get COVID than get a COVID vaccine. I think that is just completely the wrong way to go about this,’’ Gilpin said. “We need to have those conversations with people around us and encourage people to get vaccinated because the vaccine absolutely does work.’’
Doctors and staff at Beaumont and Henry Ford health systems this week sought community support in getting more people vaccinated.
“For everyone who has been vaccinated so far we thank you for being a leader in our fight for public health and we ask you to continue talking to your friends, your neighbors, your coworkers and encouraging them to get vaccinated as well,’’ said Bob Riney, president and chief operating officer at Henry Ford.
“For those of you who feel you’re healthy and not affected, you are continuing this pandemic by not getting vaccinated and protecting the spread,’’ Riney added. “We ask you to strongly consider your support by getting vaccinated, if not just for yourself for others.’’