WARRENSBURG, Mo. — Johnson County, Missouri, is seeing one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state.
According to data at the Johnson County Community Health Services, about 21.7% of the county's residents are fully vaccinated and 24% have received their first dose.
Community outreach coordinator, Kerri Lewis, would like to see that number much higher.
“It’s a new vaccine and that's kind of been the battle all along,” Lewis said.
Lewis said they are seeing a lot of reluctant people. Sometimes it is due to the fear of vaccine side effects, other times people simply want to see more research.
She said many people seem to be uncomfortable reaching out and getting the vaccine, which is why her team is working to change how people talk and think about the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Misinformation is flooding the internet as well as, you know, across the board in conversation,” Lewis said. “We suggest they chat with their primary care physician. Ask those questions. Weigh the pros and cons of getting the vaccine versus not, and the potential risks that you may run into if you haven’t been vaccinated.”
The positivity rate in Johnson County, Missouri, has jumped 7% since the beginning of July.
They county is averaging six new cases per day now, which used to be one or two per day.
At the peak of the pandemic, that number was 25-30. Lewis attributes this to unvaccinated people gathering more during the summer.
“Knowing that so many people are reluctant to getting the vaccine, it can be frustrating,” Lewis said. “Its tough, there’s enough folks that aren’t comfortable or confident in the vaccine that are very, very, quick to want to give their reasons as to not receive the vaccine.”
To combat the rising case counts, the staff hosts a walk-in vaccination clinic every Wednesday.
They also spearheads community outreach in school districts, local colleges like the University of Central Missouri and even hosts pop-up clinics in rural surrounding cities.
“We hosted a large vaccination clinic on campus for students, and for students with families, to come in and get their vaccines," Lewis said. "We saw about 1,000 individuals come through to get their first dose. Just recently, we sent some nurses over as well as some vaccines, for some of the international students that were coming in to ensure they have the opportunity to get vaccinated.”
Lewis said the county’s target is going to anyone and everyone who has not been vaccinated.
41 Action News asked a few Johnson County residents as to why their county may be choosing to opt out.
"I feel like a lot of times, people feel like they’re being pushed into it," one resident who wished to stay anonymous told 41 Action News. "And when you’re being pushed really hard, people wonder if there’s a reason why, if there’s an ulterior motive."
“There’s kind of a general distrust of science, and then on top of this issue being politicized the way it is kind of makes it hard to change people’s minds," Joshua Parham, a Chemistry lecturer at the University of Central Missouri said.
Shawna Gard from Holden, Missouri, is one of those who did change their mind.
She was hesitant to get the vaccine when she felt there was not enough research, but came around this week. She said as a teacher returning to school this fall, her students ultimately changed her mind.
“There’s just a lot of negativity surrounding it like ‘Oh, it’s just a phase. It’s a fad. It’s the government trying to control us,’ and that kind of thing," she said.
