Most Will Get Coronavirus Vaccine But Questions Raised: VA Survey

VIRGINIA — With federal approval of two coronavirus vaccines possible as early as this week, over 90 percent of Virginians who responded to a Patch survey said they plan to get vaccinated. The overwhelming number of readers who said they plan to get a coronavirus shot came even as they debated how the Trump administration has handled the pandemic.

Officials in Virginia and nationally continued to urge people to stay home for the holidays and to get a coronavirus test if they do travel. Daily confirmed new cases of the virus have hovered just under 4,000 in the Commonwealth since Friday. The Virginia Department of Health reported 3,817 new coronavirus cases Monday, up considerably from the 2,877 new cases reported Friday.

There were 37 new coronavirus deaths reported by the VDH on Saturday, and the seven-day average of daily death reports is 20. The cumulative totals of deaths is 4,208 as of Monday, an increase of 11 deaths in the past 24 hours. There have been 258,870 cases and 15,356 hospitalizations to date, an increase of 101 hospital patients since Sunday.

Some readers taking part in the Patch survey praised the guidance of Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, both members of the White House coronavirus task force and specialists in infectious diseases. Others expressed concerns about President Donald Trump and his administration's involvement in the creation of the vaccine, as well as his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

"As soon as Dr. Fauci says I can get the vaccine I’m first in line," said a commenter.

"The fact that we will soon have a vaccine is a miracle given Trump's complete mishandling of the pandemic," a survey respondent wrote. "The sooner he leaves office the better. Biden will distribute the vaccine competently."

On Monday there were 1,885 COVID-19 patients hospitalized across the state. That includes 843 on ventilators and 261 in the intensive care units, according to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association.

In northern Virginia, a total of 1,146 people were confirmed to have the coronavirus on Monday.

A total of 1,507 people responded to the online survey. While not a scientific poll, the survey presents a broad idea of public sentiment regarding the vaccine.

Since spring lockdowns spurred by the coronavirus pandemic, Virginians have waited for production of vaccines that would prevent the fatal respiratory disease COVID-19. Now that medical companies are ready to crank up production of vaccines, the politicization of the virus — as well as a strengthening anti-vaccine movement — mean not everyone is clamoring for the vaccine.

A total of 90.5 percent of the Patch readers who took the survey said they plan to get the vaccine. Of those, nearly 63 percent said they will get the shots at the earliest opportunity, and 27.6 percent said they would be vaccinated once they are sure it's safe and effective.

"As a healthcare provider I will be first in line as soon as it's my turn," a survey respondent said.

"It saddens me that scientific literacy has fallen so low in this country that this poll was even created," said another.

"If there are ignorant, deluded or misled people who, for whatever reason, won’t acknowledge the value and necessity of vaccines, let them do without," commented another reader. "It simply means I’ll get my vaccine sooner.

The first COVID-19 virus vaccine from Pfizer was just approved in the United Kingdom and is up for emergency use authorization in the United States next week. Cambridge-based Moderna's vaccine is hoping for the same the following week.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses to be effective. Both vaccines had large-scale tests with thousands of volunteers that showed 95 percent effectiveness, Gov. Ralph Northam said Wednesday at a press conference. Should the FDA give approval to Pfizer's vaccine, doses would go to states immediately, which Northam expected would happen as early as mid-December.

"The FDA is following the required protocols, ignoring political pressure," a survey respondent said. "Things are moving quickly, but I feel that is a response to a pandemic, not an individual."

"By the time I am able to get a vaccine it will likely be late Spring or early Summer, so any short term side effects beyond those tested in trials will be known," another commenter wrote. "The value of the vaccine for everyone "returning to normal" and everything that entails outweighs any specific concerns I may have."

On Friday, Virginia health officials said they are preparing to receive an estimated 480,000 doses of vaccine from Pfizer and Moderna by the end of the month. This is a considerably larger amount than the estimated 70,000 doses of a coronavirus vaccine Northam previously said the state would receive from Pfizer alone.

There are other promising vaccines being produced, including one being manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, that require only a single dose.

While Trump had at one time promised a vaccine before the November election, medical experts have long said it would take a year or more for much of the general population to have access to a vaccine.

"The Trump administration's attitude and conduct has poisoned the value and capabilities of public medicine in general - and vaccinations in particular. I remember the government mandated requirements for polio vaccination for ALL younger citizens in the early 1950s which eliminated the spread of that vicious disease (as it was for tuberculosis and small pox, measles, et al,)," a reader said. "The same requirement for ALL people to end the continued spread of this current problem is needed, with the national government setting the standards for every state and all citizens to follow."

"I am so proud of President Trump. Only he could have accomplished this scientific achievement in such a short time," said a respondent.

Others thought politics played a role in the vaccine development and rollout.

“Warp Speed was a political ploy designed to get votes by making it appear the administration was finally doing something positive about the pandemic. Any benefit to Americans was merely a lucky coincidence," said a commenter.

"Except for Fauci and Birx, Trump and his administration were/are useless. ... As he pushed to get the vaccination approved before the election I am sure that is what caused concern and reluctance to take the shot," a respondent said. "Until I was comfortable that science took over I was going to take the shot after I saw how it was working out. I will now get it as soon as possible."

As some readers noted, vaccines used to be given in schools. Most of the readers who took the survey supported required vaccination for the coronavirus before children can attend school, although a sizable group called for some exceptions.

"Exceptions to vaccinations of school-aged children should be limited to medical circumstances when an immunization could put the child's health at risk," a commenter said.

Other comments included:

• Vaccinations should be required for all children with EXTREMELY LIMITED exceptions, which should require a reputable doctor's "prescription". Those children will then be protected by herd immunity if everyone else is vaccinated.
• I am unsure about the speed of the vaccine development because of trump. But I am going to get the vaccine because I am not going to spend the rest of my life inside.
• I know someone who participated in the clinical trial and received the Moderna vaccine. I was initially very concerned that a rushed process might compromise safety, but he is a medical professional and hearing his first-hand experience has given me more confidence. Also, the fact that he is now able to do some "normal" things without worry has made me much more eager to get the vaccine!
• I fully intend to get the vaccine as soon as possible as I am over 65 and take immunosuppressant medications for Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have closely followed it's development and have complete confidence in the scientific experts who have worked tirelessly on our behalf. I also believe that every American should get it so that our lives, our economy and our mental and physical health can be restored.
• This must be made optional for the beginning phase. After two years or third year people can begin to reflect our views weather we can trust this or not . The companies rushing for the production of the vaccine are competing for how well their company stocks are doing and care less on our health.