Data shows less than expected number of people getting COVID and flu vaccines this season
Mahoning Valley - The CDC reported about 37 percent of adults have gotten their flu shot, while about 19 percent have gotten the updated COVID vaccine.
COVID levels are nearly the lowest they've been since the start of the pandemic. While hospital visits for the flu and RSV are also low, health officials said they're starting to rise. Along with that recent rise is walking pneumonia in children.
The most recent Ohio Department of Health data updated last week shows roughly nine percent of the Ohio population has the updated COVID-19 vaccine.
In Mahoning, just over 6.5 percent.
4.3 percent have gotten the new COVID shot in Columbiana.
In Trumbull, it's 6.9 percent.
"I would say that's as accurate as we can get at this point in time," Erin Heckman with the Trumbull County Combined Health District said, "The thing of it is, with the vaccines, there are so many different outlets to get the vaccine now, so it's kind of hard to pinpoint those numbers a little bit more precisely."
Heckman said she too has seen the recent hesitancy to get the shots, especially the COVID-19 vaccine.
As of September 2024, Trumbull County has provided about 175 flu and 65 COVID vaccines.
"I would say an overall decrease compared to when the COVID vaccination first came onto the scene," she said, "We do have a little bit of an uphill battle to fight. I feel with the COVID vaccination, historically speaking, I feel as if we're still trying to gain the trust of the community a little bit."
Dr. Dee Banks said this is a multifaceted issue and said the CDC dropped the ball on education and marketing the latest COVID vaccine at a time when there's already mistrust and vaccine fatigue.
"A lot of people just don't know what to do, they're fatigued. There's a lot of mistrust, so I kind of put a little bit of the blame on the CDC," she said, "I was calling several of my colleagues around the country, canvassing them about what's happening in their communities, and it's the same."
Heckman said with their new building in Cortland centrally located in the county, they are now better positioned to distribute vaccines and urges people to continue to take advantage of their pop-up clinics.
The health district is hosting a child vaccine clinic next Tuesday, December 10th at the district's office.
In Warren, the health department is hosting a flu and COVID clinic on Wednesday, December 4th.
In Mahoning County, you'll need to schedule an appointment at several locations in the area.
