Fewer adults scheduling COVID-19 vaccine appointments, teens showing enthusiasm to roll up their sleeves
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) – Health care systems are seeing a decrease in people scheduling vaccine appointments.
Area health experts say there are a few reasons for this.
Vaccine hesitancy continues to be one common reason, with some people choosing to wait until researchers learn more about the long-term effects of the vaccine.
“People have been waiting to see what happens and we’re over 216 million doses administered across the U.S.; we can see that the vaccines are safe,” said Dir. of Olmsted CO. Public Health, Graham Briggs, M.P.H.
Another factor – people who are at low risk for infection are letting those at a higher risk go first.
But health experts say there is no reason to push that appointment off any longer.
“If you’ve been waiting for vaccination because you wanted high-risk people to have their chance at getting vaccinated, thank you for doing that, but it’s now your turn,” said Dr. Melanie Swift, co-chair of Mayo Clinic’s COVID-19 Allocation & Distribution Work Group.
Some teens in our area say they’ve been looking forward to getting the Pfizer vaccine, and are ready to do their part to help stop the spread of the virus.
“I personally love being outside, I love being social, I love the community, and I don’t want to go out if there’s a risk of me getting COVID or me spreading COVID. So as soon as I could get the vaccine I was very eager, so I can get back to my daily life,” said Madysen Ryan, who got vaccinated at the Terry Erickson Boys & Girls Club Thursday.
Another teen, Rebecca Strittmater, didn’t hesitate to make her appointment, “Once I got the email that I was eligible to get the vaccine, I just went to go get it.”
The Boys & Girls Club of Greater La Crosse has two more vaccine clinics coming up at the Amie L. Mathy Center (811 8th St. South).
- Thursday, April 29, 2 to 6 pm
- Thursday, May 6, 2 to 6 pm
COPYRIGHT 2021 BY NEWS 8 NOW/NEWS 8000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
