Area residents have mixed opinions on COVID vaccine

With the first doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine being distributed in Vernon County this week, the question is: Will people take it?

"Yes! I stood in line for the polio vaccine, and I will stand in line for this," Betty Garton posted.

We ran an informal poll on our Facebook page which resulted in 130 comments over two days time.. Of the comments to our post, the number of people who said they would take the vaccine outnumbered those who said they would not by a factor of 2:1, totaling 27 in favor of the vaccine and 15 against. Several said they would wait to see what happens with the vaccine or would only take it if required to do so.

"I have lost six people in my life in the past few months with COVID," Ken Collins commented, "Not all of them were particularly close friends but it proves to me that this virus is more than just a bad case of the flu. I'm taking the vaccine. "

Julie Hoagland Wilson, "Absolutely! I will take it to protect my parents, other family members, and our community. Additionally, local health care providers have explained the safety of the development of it, and I trust these people who are more educated in the area of healthcare much more than myself."

Yes! I can’t wait!" Cassie Tweten said. "Based on the research I’ve done, my industry has done and science, I think it’s the smartest choice. I find people who say no, just don’t KNOW enough to say yes. At the end of the day, it’s a personal choice. I believe in a person’s right to choose what happens to their body.”

However, not everyone was as eager.

“Nah,” Maddy Murry Crawford said, “I currently have COVID. I’d rather have it again than put chemicals into my body that haven’t properly been studied.”

Judy Raney said, “No, don’t take flu vaccine either, personal choice, I got COVID a few weeks ago so hoping the 90-day immunity holds up and we can see where the vaccine goes from then!”

“No. It was rushed,” Terry Baker posted. “Too many rushed meds create severe problems later on ... Just consider thalidomide, vioxx, zantac, all approved and all became deadly.”

“Maybe after the initial 2yr blind study has concluded and the data of that study has been rendered viable to ascertain if any adverse biological effects have been discovered,” posted Rick Smith. “The vaccine is just too new and the virus also. We need more data in my opinion and that only comes thru time.”

As of Tuesday morning, Vernon County Health Department director Steve Durnell told the Daily Mail that he did not know when a vaccine would be more widely available or in what quantities.

“We have turned in our application and just waiting on the State [to send] us the vaccine,” he said. “Depending on the timing and amount of vaccine, we will start with long term care facilities and Healthcare workers then work down a Criteria list set by Missouri Department of Health and the CDC. I will certainly keep you all posted on dates, vaccine candidate eligibility, etc. as we are notified.”