Cady Stribling
News Editor
cstribling1@murraystate.edu
After Murray State’s regional vaccination site was postponed because of ice storms, some members of the community received COVID-19 vaccinations on Sunday, Feb. 14, and Sunday, Feb. 21.
Chief Medical Officer Bob Hughes said approximately 945 people received their vaccination on these two days. Hughes said there was an amazing turnout with only a few people not showing to get the vaccine.
“The thing that was really nice was to see the expressions on people’s faces,” Hughes said. “There was a lot of joy that people were starting to get vaccinated. There’s been a lot of vaccinations given, but just to see that many people at one time coming in to be vaccinated was quite a delight for them. Even though it’s a two-shot series, there’s a lot of protection with the first shot.”
People who received the initial vaccination, or prime dose, on Feb. 14 should get the second dose, or booster dose, after roughly 28 days for the Moderna vaccine, Hughes said. However, Hughes said there was a potential for the booster dose to be pushed out indefinitely.
“When you say an eight day window around the 28 days, it’s really not that important if someone gets vaccinated two to three weeks later,” Hughes said. “There’s a lot of proof that the first shot unto itself gives a lot of protection, and in some countries and some places, they’re starting to say maybe we should just give one dose based on the effectiveness of the vaccine. In France, they were the first country that came out and said, ‘if you had COVID-19 and got vaccinated, that’s it, you don’t need the second shot.’ In America currently, people still receive the second shot but that’s how effective this first dose is.”
Hughes said the CFSB Center was one of eight regional vaccination sites to get up and running, which ensures vaccines will be coming indefinitely to the center.
There is no definite time frame of when people in the 1C group can get the prime dose, but he believes it could be within the next two to four weeks, Hughes said. As more vaccines become approved, Hughes said there is a possibility within six to eight weeks that anyone who wants the vaccine can get it.
At a federal level, the vaccine is being allocated to states based on population. Hughes said Kentucky is in the top 15 to 25 states for the percentage of people vaccinated with Kentucky around 11.4 percent vaccinated.
The News sent in a question to Gov. Andy Beshear during his media briefing to ask why childcare workers are in Phase 1B but faculty and staff at postsecondary institutions are placed in 1C.
Beshear said they’ve had to make tough decisions.
“There’s always a group or multiple groups that should be given a priority and we just don’t have enough vaccines at the time,” Beshear said. “Our belief is that there is a better ability for college professors and administrators to social distance from the students they are teaching than there is in child care where it’s complicated, and certainly there’s a better option to provide virtual learning at a university to at least decrease density then there is in childcare. And childcare is critical to get more people back to work as quickly as we can.”
Beshear said he understands this patience is difficult to ask and wishes the vaccine could be distributed to everyone at the same time.
“[The] best I can tell you is we’ll get to you,” Beshear said. “1C is coming and it’s coming soon, and we’re excited about that, and we want to give everybody their shot of hope.”
According to the Calloway County Health Department, one COVID-19 case was reported on Saturday, Feb. 20, bringing the total number to 3,309. There have been 3,242 recoveries, 17 isolated, two hospitalized and 48 deaths.
Hughes said the low number of cases cannot be fully credited to the vaccine since not many people have yet received it. Along with protection from the vaccination, the low numbers are also a result of protection from people who already had the virus, people who follow COVID-19 guidelines and clearing post-holiday surge in cases. Hughes said the weather could also play a role in the lower numbers since it tended to force isolation.
Hughes said the worst thing to be doing right now is travelling because people could bring back a more contagious, virulent COVID-19 strain variant.
“Continue to be safe, social distance, wash your hands, practice good hygiene and wear your mask,” Hughes said. “As more people get vaccinated, I think we’re going to hopefully be out of this pandemic.”
Contact the Calloway County Health Department at (270) 753-3381 for more information on getting the COVID-19 vaccine at the CFSB Center. There are limited amounts of vaccines available at Walgreens, Kroger and Walters Family Pharmacy.