When the COVID-19 vaccines became available for the first time, it was almost impossible to make an appointment.
Gov. Tom Wolf says while there is more availability, the slots need to fill up faster than they are.
Wolf said they have been dealing with vaccine hesitation since a vaccine first came out, but at the time it was not covered because supply could not match demand. But now that the question is here, the hesitation becomes more prominent.
With the pause over Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine expanding at least next week, government officials hope to maintain public confidence.
“Well, I know the recent J&J outage has raised a number of questions, but I think it really gives us a reason to have more confidence that these vaccines are safe,” Wolf told a news conference on Friday. said.
There have been six cases of blood clots in women who took the shot, but Wolf says at the moment it is not certain whether the incidents are directly related to the vaccine.
“Nearly 7 million J&J vaccines have been distributed in this country, and there are 6 cases, 6 of 6.8 million,” Wolf said.
Reactions of blood clots in combination with low platelets are not seen in the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
Pennsylvania Health Secretary Alison Beam says the hesitation of vaccines is becoming clearer as the appointment slots are not filled.
“We do not see an increase in wastage. However, the availability of the appointment gives us cause for concern because it is an indication of the hesitation that is the challenge to come,” Beam said.
Skilled nursing homes in Pennsylvania had a 53% increase in vaccination, compared to the average average of 37%, which according to Beam is good but could be better.
“The evidence is how far we need to go, and how much of the challenge of overcoming vaccine vaccination is and will be in the near future,” she said.
“We can not afford to take our foot off the accelerator, and therefore we have to keep moving as the supply has increased and appointments are available,” Wolf said.
Beam says the administration is preparing emergency plans, so if there is a long hiatus on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, they will only be able to supplement the demand with Pfizer and Moderna.