CORONAVIRUS

Some Oregon residents are wary of the COVID-19 vaccine. Here's why

Tracy Loew
Salem Statesman Journal

Demand for COVID-19 vaccines is leveling off in some Oregon counties, even as eligibility drastically expands.

All Oregonians over the age of 16 will be eligible for vaccines on April 19. But officials expect by mid-May — well before the state achieves enough community immunity to stop the virus' spread — some areas will have more shots than people willing to get them.

Nationwide, about 25% of adults say they probably or definitely won’t get the vaccine, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The Oregon Health Authority doesn’t track or estimate the number of people refusing shots overall or in certain categories, such as health care workers, OHA spokeswoman Delia Hernández said.

But after weeks of eligibility for seniors, Oregon data is beginning to reflect that vaccine hesitancy.

In seven of the state’s less populous counties, fewer than half of those age 65 and older have been vaccinated, OHA said.

In Marion County, 59% of residents age 65 and older have received at least one dose, according to OHA data. In Polk County, that figure is 63%, and in Lane County it is 62%.

Vaccine hesitancy reasons

The Statesman Journal asked residents why they might hesitate to get the shot. Most responses fell into three broad categories:

Some people are concerned the vaccine was developed and approved too quickly, and long-term side effects are unknown.

“I don’t feel there has been adequate time to thoroughly test the vaccines,” Stacy Adams, 49, of Salem wrote. “I will not get it.”

Others say the vaccine is pointless if we still have to wear masks and socially distance, and if immunity wears off quickly.

“It is a temporary (six month) vaccine that has a high incidence of adverse reactions to a virus with a very high survival rate,” Sisters resident Matt Cyrus wrote. “I have more faith in the immune system than the vaccine.”

“The big question is how long is the shot or my immunity effective?” asked Hal Wineland of Keizer, who said he will not get the shot because he has had COVID-19. “Will we get a new version of the vaccine in the fall to cover all the strains?”

And still others have a general distrust of government.

Jennifer Benson, 66, of Damascus, said she was "unsure if we should be controlled to get the vaccine."

The Associated Press poll also found a strong political split in vaccine support. The poll indicated that 42% of Republicans said they probably or definitely would not get the shot, compared with 17% of Democrats. 

State and federal officials said they understand people’s concerns.

But the benefits outweigh any risks, they said.

“We know the vaccines are very safe,” Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen said. “I know many people are worried about side effects, but the COVID-19 case mortality rate among people 80 and older is 20% or one in five. The serious risk the virus poses to older adults far outweighs the temporary discomfort and disruption you might experience from getting a vaccine.”

In comparison, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that as of April 5, there were 2,794 reported deaths among vaccinated people, a rate of 0.002%, and no evidence suggests a link between the deaths and the vaccine.

Prior to the COVID-19 vaccine, no vaccine had been created in fewer than four years. But this vaccine didn't come out of the blue — there is more than a decade of research behind it and efforts begun on other coronaviruses. And the work on this particular virus began in the first days of its discovery, in January 2020.

A sign directs people to get the COVID-19 vaccine at the Salem Health and Marion County vaccination clinic on the Oregon State Fairgrounds.

While they don't yet have final FDA approval, the FDA has issued emergency authorizations for the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Such emergency approval is permitted during a health emergency. The drug makers still had to have completed multiple rounds of clinical trials, including a trial with more than 3,000 people that lasts for at least two months. 

After getting authorization, the companies have had to continue to track any side effects and file monthly safety reports. They are expected to continue trials and apply for regular approval. Pfizer is expected to submit its application for full licensure later this month.

It remains unclear to experts how long the vaccines will provide immunity. Pfizer has reported that six months after getting a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as part of a 46,000-person clinical trial, volunteers remained more than 90% protected against symptomatic COVID-19.

U.S. Health officials are continuing to urge those vaccinated to keep wearing masks in public because scientists are unsure whether they could still carry and spread the virus or how well it works against some of the new variants. 

“Because vaccinations do dramatically reduce transmission, eventually the CDC will issue new (masking) recommendations for vaccinated individuals,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, in an April USA Today article. “But it won’t happen until the summer at the earliest, and all this depends on getting the B.1.1.7 variant (first identified in the U.K.) under control and expanding vaccination coverage.”

COVID-19 vaccine tracker: How many Marion, Polk residents are vaccinated?

More than 700,000 Oregonians have been fully vaccinated so far. Oregon officials identified 168 cases as of April 2 in which vaccinated individuals tested positive for the virus more than two weeks after their final dose. Three of those people died. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is trying to debunk myths about the vaccines. According to the CDC:

  • You should be vaccinated even if you already had COVID-19, because experts don’t know how long immunity from the illness lasts. If you were treated with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting the vaccine.
  • There is currently no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination causes any fertility problems or problems with pregnancy.
  • COVID-19 vaccines do not change or interact with your DNA in any way.
  • Getting a COVID-19 vaccine won’t make you test positive for COVID-19 on a viral test. You may test positive on some antibody tests, which indicate you had a previous infection.

How is Oregon fighting vaccine hesitancy?

The Oregon Health Authority is running targeted public education and advertisements to increase vaccine confidence, including in rural areas, OHA’s Hernández said.

One campaign, “Oregon COVID-19 Vaccine Information” is running ads on Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, Quora, WebMD and other websites. 

"The campaign is aimed at increasing vaccine confidence, testifying to the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines, framing vaccination as a path back to the people, places, and things we love, and affirming that it’s OK to have questions — demystifying the vaccination process by sharing stories of normal folks (including non-urban areas) who have chosen to get vaccinated and why," Hernández said.

People wait in line to receive their COVID-19 vaccine at the Oregon State Fairgrounds.

Oregon also is holding special clinics to reach people who might face barriers to getting the vaccine, including those with a mistrust of government.

For example, during April, OHA iwill partner with FEMA and Morrow and Malheur counties to hold a series of vaccine clinics for migrant and seasonal farmworkers in Boardman, Irrigon and Heppner.

Lincoln County held vaccine clinics focused on reaching seafood, agricultural, fish processing and seasonal and migrant workers.

“While OHA remains a trusted source of accurate information for providers and the community, we also acknowledge the historical mistrust within some communities toward governmental public health authorities. That’s why we are working with and supporting trusted community partners with outreach,” Hernández said.

“We're connecting our experts directly with communities through activities like Facebook live events, weekly community webinars, and ongoing presentations in partnership with trusted community organizations. That will continue as we move forward with the rollout,” she said.

Tracy Loew is a reporter at the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779 or on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew. Support local journalism by subscribing to the Statesman Journal.