The following commentary was submitted for publication by Scott Adams, CEO, Pullman Regional Hospital; Marie Dymkoski, executive director, Pullman Chamber of Commerce; Stephanie Fosback, M.D., Palouse Medical; Gary Jenkins, Pullman police chief; Glenn Johnson, Pullman mayor; Kirk Schulz, president, Washington State University; Ed Schweitzer, president and chief technology officer, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories; Chris Skidmore, interim public health director, Whitman County Public Health; Ed Tingstad, M.D., Inland Orthopedic Surgery.
-----
We’re so close.
Close to opening up our businesses, to gathering for a meal or a prayer, to hugging our grandparents. After months of isolation and struggle, these are once-mundane pleasures we’ll surely never take for granted again.
Vaccines will take us over that finish line.
The first doses of COVID-19 vaccines are already being administered in Whitman County under guidelines developed by the Washington State Department of Health.
Those at highest risk are at the head of the line: healthcare workers who’ve put themselves in harm’s way every day of this pandemic, and residents of long-term care facilities, where COVID-19 has exacted a terrible toll nationwide. We’ll move to subsequent phases as quickly as vaccines are delivered.
Recent national polls show the majority of Americans say they will get a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s their turn. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey in December found 71 percent of the public said they would definitely or probably get the COVID-19 vaccine, up from 63 percent in September.
That’s good news.
We need to have 75 percent to 85 percent of people vaccinated to achieve herd immunity, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. If we do that, Fauci believes we can get back to our normal activities by fall.
Think of it: the roar of Coug Nation from Martin Stadium. Hotels, restaurants and shops bustling with students and visitors. Workplaces rejuvenated.
Clearly, there are historical, cultural and personal reasons for vaccine hesitancy. We’re encouraged that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has enlisted scientific experts from underrepresented communities to help build trust. In fact, Dr. Lonnie Nelson, an associate professor at the WSU College of Nursing, was recruited to participate on the panel working with Native and indigenous communities.
We also know that plenty of people who say they intend to do something, like get an annual flu shot, don’t follow through for a variety of reasons. But a 2019 study found that something as simple as frequent reminders through text messaging prompted patients to follow a treatment plan.
The Whitman County Department of Public Health will share weekly updates on vaccine distribution on its website. You’ll also find information on vaccination phases there and who’s eligible in each phase.
You can help amplify those messages by alerting family and friends when they’re eligible. Maybe offer a ride to a vaccination site for someone who has transportation challenges. Become an influencer and post your vaccinated status on social media.
Meanwhile, don’t give up the protections that have gotten us this far just yet; keep wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing as the vaccination process rolls out.
We’re so close.
