When COVID-19 vaccines were first available, it was almost impossible to get an appointment.
Now, Gov. Tom Wolf says that while there is more availability, the slots need to be filled faster than not.
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 demand is here, hesitation is becoming increasingly important.
With the Johnson & Johnson vaccine pause extended at least next week, government officials hope to maintain public confidence.
“I now know that J & J’s recent break has created some questions, but I think what it really does is give us a reason to be safer that these vaccines are safe,” Wolf said during a news conference Friday.
There were six cases of blood clots in women who received the shot, but Wolf says at this time it is not known for sure if these incidents were directly associated with the vaccine.
“There have been almost 7 million vaccines against J&J in this country and there are 6 cases, 6 of 6.8 million,” Wolf said.
Blood clot reactions in combination with low platelets are not seen in Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
Pennsylvania Health Secretary Alison Beam says vaccination hesitation is becoming more evident as time slots are not filled.
“We are not experiencing an increase in waste loss. The availability of appointments raises concerns for us, however, because this is indicative of hesitation, which poses the challenge that will come,” Beam said.
Specialized nursing facilities in Pennsylvania saw a 53% increase in vaccination, compared to the national average of 37%, which Beam says is good, but could be better.
“This evidence is how far we need to go and the challenge of overcoming the vaccination is and will be in the near future,” he said.
“We can’t afford to take our foot off the gas pedal and so as supply has increased and appointments are available, we really need to keep going,” Wolf said.
Beam says the administration is working to build contingency plans, so if there is a prolonged pause in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, they will be able to cover the demand only using Pfizer and Moderna.