LA County Health Authority Addresses Vaccine Distribution Challenge

Health officials in Los Angeles County emphasized the need to uncover the myth about the Covid-19 virus at a meeting on Tuesday.

(CN) — Almost a year after the blockade in Los Angeles, social distance, widespread infection, and Covid-19-related deaths, residents are preparing for the next chapter of the pandemic, the vaccination period.

At Town Hall on Tuesday, health officials in Los Angeles County said two major obstacles could complicate vaccine deployment.

For one thing, there are not enough vaccine doses to meet California’s demands.

About 10 million people live in Los Angeles County, and authorities have vaccinated about 685,000 as of Tuesday, with an estimated 168,000 more vaccinations by the end of this week.The numbers are not what you expected when the authorities set County-wide mass vaccination site Nearly 20,000 people can be vaccinated daily.

“The pace of vaccination depends entirely on the doses we receive from the federal government and the state,” said Dr. Seira Kurian, director of LA County Healthcare, at Town Hall. “We still don’t know what next week’s quota will be needed to cover healthcare professionals who need a second dose.”

While other parts of the state have already begun vaccination of people over the age of 65 in the county, LA will allow approximately 17,000 qualified healthcare workers to receive a second vaccination. Must be. On Tuesday, the county announced that it would begin vaccination of the elderly, but offered only a limited schedule.

The second major obstacle is a bit more abstract, but it’s still just as annoying to health authorities. Incorrect information.

One lasting bit of false information during a pandemic is the notion that Covid-19 is less harmful than the common flu.

More than 100 people die from the flu each year in LA County, according to health officials. Last year, more than 13,000 residents died in Covid-19.

“I think the evidence is pretty clear at this point,” said Dr. Eloisa Gonzalez, director of cardiovascular and school health in LA County, at the Town Hall.

Another myth that health officials want to blame is that federal-approved vaccines contain aborted fetal tissue. In the United States, only two vaccines are federal approved and neither uses aborted fetal tissue. The myth arose from a statement from the Vatican by a congregation for the Ministry of Education, a church watchdog group. Said it would be “morally acceptable” For Roman Catholics to receive the Covid-19 vaccine used in the study for fetal tissue from abortion.

“The truth is that fetal cells are not used to make the Covid-19 vaccine currently in use,” said the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which were developed using the breakthrough gene-editing technology mRNA. Gonzales explained that it was.

There is also the problem of believing that the vaccine works. Both the Pfizer and Motona vaccines have been shown to be 94% to 95% effective in building immunity to the virus.

Health officials emphasized that there were clinical trials testing the vaccine in a wide range of groups based on age and race, although the vaccine may appear to arrive in record time.

“More than 300,000 people are vaccinated in Los Angeles County, with no serious side effects and may have mild allergic reactions,” said Dr. Paul Simon, Chief Scientific Officer of Los Angeles County. ..

Simon acknowledged that there are still some gaps in the public health community’s knowledge of viruses, as the virus has only existed for about a year.

Last week, a San Diego clinic reported a severe allergic reaction from a patient who received the Moderna vaccine. Health officials stopped using lots from which these vaccines were derived and continued to administer the vaccine without further complications.

These types of incidents can slow the progression that needs to take place in certain communities across the country, especially in the areas most affected by the virus. In LA County, the virus disproportionately affects low-income Latino and black residents who are more likely to die from the virus than white residents.

Health officials need to build trust with these communities in order to spread the vaccine, Gonzales said. The federal government announced last summer that Covid-19 tests and vaccines could be given to undocumented migrants without the risk of their status being compromised or deported.

“It’s important that people feel safe,” Gonzales said.

Some healthcare professionals are reportedly hesitant to get vaccinated.

“I’m very worried about this,” Simon said. “These vaccines are such a gift. We need to take this opportunity. I don’t think anyone expected these vaccines to be so effective. We need a more personal touch. I think. You need to use a social network. “

One possible tactic prescribed by the authorities is to post on Twitter or Instagram after receiving the vaccine to show that it is safe.

“Share it with their friends and family,” Gonzales said. “The circle of their influence can be seen,’Look, I know this person, this person got it, and they report that they feel good The true stories from those they know will be of great help to those who accept the vaccine. “