COVID vaccination rate in Muscogee County crosses an important threshold. Is it enough?
Unlike last year, Columbus didn’t experience a surge of COVID-19 cases after Memorial Day. That has local officials optimistic about the future of the pandemic, but they know getting the majority of the city vaccinated will be a significant challenge.
As of June 16, 33% of residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine. More than 116,000 vaccines have been administered in the county, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
However, the rate of people getting vaccinated has significantly slowed.
“We understand that there are some folks that just aren’t going to take it,” Mayor Skip Henderson said. “We will respect that decision.”
COVID-19 cases in Columbus stayed flat following Memorial Day weekend, in contrast to last year when the city saw its first spike in cases.
City officials hope to see COVID-19 rates continue declining. Pam Kirkland, spokesperson for the West Central Health District, said there’s additional protection due to people who carry antibodies after previously contracting the virus.
Reaching vaccine hesitant
Henderson said the next threshold he wants to hit is a 40% vaccinated rate.
The city is working with community partners like United Way and the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley to create a call center for people to get answers to questions they may have. Continuing to dispel rumors and provide more information will be crucial moving forward, he said.
Kirkland said the health department is working to counteract vaccine hesitancy by going out into the community and setting up clinics in places like colleges and churches, the METRA Transfer Station and Market Days on Broadway. Church clinics are especially helpful because residents are more likely to consider getting the vaccine when they see people they trust also being vaccinated, she said.
Those who are hesitant about getting the COVID-19 vaccine also are encouraged to reach out to their medical doctor for answers. Additionally, Henderson suggested talking to others who have already gotten the vaccine.
“You’ll hear from most of them that the vaccine has not caused any issues,” he said. “And it is a proven method of making sure that you stay healthy through this pandemic.”
A look at the data
In the last two weeks, Muscogee County had 72 reported cases of COVID-19, with 38 cases per 100,000 people, according to June 17 data from the Georgia Department of Public Health.
The seven-day confirmed case average for the county is around five, the lowest it’s been since April 2020.
Little or no surge after the Fourth of July holiday could indicate that the COVID-19 risk is reducing, Henderson said.
Another metric officials are closely monitoring is the number of people admitted to hospitals for COVID-19. Henderson said the number of hospitalizations has remained low, and reported to Columbus Council Tuesday that the number is currently below 20.
“Our hospitals are full,” he said, “and that’s because there are people who have non-COVID related needs that are being met. A lot of folks have put off elective surgeries or treatments.”
State data continues to move in a positive direction as well. Forty-two percent of Georgians have received at least one dose of the vaccine, with 36% of the state being fully vaccinated.
In the last two weeks, there have been over 4,000 cases of COVID-19 reported in the state, and the 7-day confirmed case average in Georgia is now below 300.
Muscogee residents can find more information about how to get vaccinated on the West Central Health District’s website. Although the mask mandate in Columbus has been suspended, those who have not been vaccinated are still encouraged to wear masks and practice social distancing.
“It’s important for people to remember what they need to do to stay healthy themselves, and help keep their immune system strong,” Kirkland said. “And that’s going to be something that’s good for them, whether it’s COVID-19 we’re talking about, the flu or any other kind of ailment.”