Vaccine hesitancy in Hinds County, Mississippi, is a story shared elsewhere

[Nevilledog]

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CNN
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Campaigns encouraging vaccination are being overwhelmed by disinformation on social media and elsewhere now that most people who needed and wanted the Covid-19 vaccine have been immunized, public health officials say

Vaccine hesitancy in Hinds County, Mississippi, is a story shared elsewhere
Dr. Nelson Atehortua, an assistant professor at Jackson State University's school of public health, drove two hours to get a coveted shot of Covid-19 vaccine because demand was so high, he couldn't...
cnn.com
6:46 PM · Apr 23, 2021

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/23/us/covid-vaccine-hinds-county-mississippi/index.html

(CNN) — Dr. Nelson Atehortua, an assistant professor at Jackson State University's school of public health, drove two hours to get a coveted shot of Covid-19 vaccine because demand was so high, he couldn't find an appointment locally.

But on a recent day at a mass Covid-19 vaccination site at the university in Jackson, Mississippi, getting a shot was a snap. People wanting to be vaccinated just trickled in, and the staff at the site sat bored in the meantime.

"Today it's quiet, but it hasn't been like that all the time," Atehortua said.

At a drive-thru site in Jackson that can handle up to 1,200 appointments in a day, only 275 people had signed up Thursday -- and some of those didn't bother to show up, workers there said.

Experts worry the drop-off suggests a lot of people don't want the vaccine and fear what's happening here could jeopardize reaching herd immunity, which doctors say won't be achieved until at least 70% of population is vaccinated.

*snip*

[Progressive Jones]

1. Some people just aren't very bright, bless their hearts. nt

[Ex Lurker]

4. Your racism is showing NT

[Progressive Jones]

6. How so? nt

[GulfCoast66]

7. Racism? Had this article been about an overwhelming white rural community in Mississippi.

Or Georgia. Or Montana. About white folks refusing the vaccine would you have responded to the comment the same way? Because that is happening. Rural white evangelicals are the least likely to take the vaccine. Will you defend them? Or criticize those that criticize them?

And I fully understand the reason African Americans have a distrust of American Medicine. Too often they were used as unknowing test subjects.

Anyone not getting the vaccine due to conspiracy ideas and false information is due the same level of derision.

[WA-03 Democrat]

2. There is no real choice

It’s an aerosol virus. You cannot see it. Herd immunity will be obtained there is no other choice. If you have the vaccine your chances of getting infected and dying is currently zero. It has not happened with any of the FDA approved vaccines. If you don’t get the vaccine and instead get the virus, you will be sick and hopefully recover but then you may have some antibodies for a while. One way or another we have a new virus ripping through the world right now. I am thankful for our administration and our scientists for giving us the best chance to survive this plague.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. Unfortunately, it's not a binary thing.

Most people who get this virus recover just fine. If all those who got it died, it would be a lot more straightforward about the need for vaccinating.

Which is exactly why it's so hard to convince people they need the vaccine.

Me? I'm the healthiest person I know. I'm almost willing to take my chances with this virus, but I'm more sensible than that. Got the J&J one and done almost a month ago. I've also stayed mostly home. wear a mask when I go outside, and have the good fortune to live in northern New Mexico where everyone is conscientious about masking and social distancing.

[GulfCoast66]

8. If all those who got it died it would have never been a pandemic.

It would have burnt out quickly. That is what makes it so insidious. 1-2% death rate does not sound bad. Until you realize that if half of Americans got it we would have 1.7-2.5 million dead. But we took actions to mitigate the spread and now have vaccines.

We all pretty much know someone who died from Covid. Except for cancer and heart disease I can’t say the same. And all within a year. I’ve never known someone who died from the flu.

Lucky you on the one and done. The wife got it as well 6 weeks ago. No side effects. I got both Pfizer shots. Second was 4 weeks ago. Arm less sore than a tetanus shot. That was it for side effects

[gulliver]

5. At this point, we can really call this the "Republican Flu"

It's the Republican attitude (in this country and others) that is responsible for the most viral replication in the world. And it is for less than nothing that they did it. It's just Republican laziness and failure to live up to their pledges of allegiance to their country that have lead to the excess losses of life, economic costs, and delays in ending the crisis.

[Scrivener7]

9. Right now republiQans make up 25% of the population. A recent poll said that 43% of those would

not get the shot.

That equals 10.75% of our population. That is less than the amount that it would take to prevent the rest of us from reaching herd immunity.

So I say, "Have at it Mississippi."