Promotion of COVID-19 vaccine continues

Harrisonburg, Virginia (WHSV)-This week has been a year since the COVID-19 vaccine began to be vaccinated around the Shenandoah Valley. It wasn’t an easy task, and a year later, the task of vaccination and educating the community continues.

Around the county, health departments, hospitals, pharmacies and primary care physicians have played a major role in this effort last year, including Central Shenando Health District (CSHD) and Augusta Health.

In the last 12 months, CSHD has provided over 127,000 shots and Augusta Health has provided over 100,000 shots. When the vaccine first arrived in the valley, a sense of hope came with them.

“When the vaccine came out and the wind was blowing that it was good, safe and effective, I was very excited to be ready to take the next step in prevention,” Augusta’s COVID said. Issac Izzillo, Director of Vaccination and Education, said. Health said.

“It was surreal. Everyone was very excited and very grateful for their participation,” said Shannon Capriotti, manager of the COVID Vaccine Clinic at Augusta Health.

Initiating the Virginia Department of Health’s Phased Abolition Vaccine Program was all manual for medical staff, but it was a challenge in itself.

“It was difficult to tell really vulnerable individuals that they couldn’t get the vaccine at that time because they didn’t meet the criteria,” Izzillo said. “It caused a lot of emotional fatigue for many people and it was difficult. It was very difficult … and then we had a lot of tough conversations with individuals about their hesitation.”

For new vaccines, education was a top priority to ensure that the community had access to the latest and correct information to help them make vaccine decisions.

“We couldn’t get the vaccine fast enough to have to suddenly switch gears to really convince the individual to get the vaccine,” said Laura Lee Wight of CSHD. “”[We gave] They get the information they need to get vaccinated and really start to succumb to trying to deal with the wrong information. “

Capriotti said he spent a lot of time listening to community questions and concerns about vaccines.

“There is a lot of conversation here and anyone who might feel much better after you sit down with them and explain it,” Capriotti said. “Many people came uneducated about certain vaccines, side effects, or what they might have heard.”

Health teams, including the CSHD Community Information Team, answered questions over the phone at city hall events, visited the community door-to-door, and attended events around the community. According to Wight, health district staff had several discussions with people outside the gas station.

“Sometimes they have a simple question. If I can answer that question, I feel they have the power to advance vaccination. It never gets old, it never gets old. “Wight said. “It’s also really nice to have a hard conversation with members of the community. Even if they decide they don’t want to be vaccinated at that moment, we have an open dialogue and about their concerns. The fact that I was able to talk and deal with the wrong information. It’s still very important. “

Volunteers around the Shenando Valley also participated in this effort.

“We have a lot of volunteers who volunteer with us to retire, work, distribute vaccines, and provide education to the community. It was definitely a community-wide effort, “Wight said.

“I run the clinic every day, so I’m here with volunteers every day. They’re great,” Capriotti said. “It was a life-changing event for many of us, as there are some people here every day and our team members are here too.”

December has been a year since the vaccine distribution began, but work does not stop here.

Around the valley, counties and cities vary from 45% to 68% of the fully vaccinated population. The goal is to reach 75%.

Both CSHD and Augusta Health will continue their efforts to vaccinate and educate people in valley schools, churches and vulnerable communities.

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