An area physician and an area pharmacist are encouraging people to get vaccinated to help protect them from COVID-19 and its variants.
Dr. Gregory Grant, a family medicine physician in Shawnee, said “I am seeing an increase in patients with the Covid and have since the beginning of July. While I don’t know the exact percentage,” he noted, “about 80 percent of those cases are with the Delta variant.”
Tim Barrick, who is coowner of the Clinic Pharmacy, said “We’ve seen an uptick in vaccinations from where we were in June. Some of those people who were hesitant, are now getting vaccinated.”
“Not to the extent we did in March, but we are continuing to get calls.
“We’re seeing a 30 to 50 percent increase in vaccinations in patients in general, but first doses particularly,” he said.
“Those getting the first dose will get the second dose four weeks later,” he said.
His pharmacy offers the Moderna vaccine, he said.
“We’ve seen an increase in the clinic and in the hospital during the whole month of July. We have patients in the Intensive Care Unit and in the hospital,” Grant said.
“The really disturbing thing is in December and January the majority of patients were over 65 and now for the most part they are under 65.
“In Pottawatomie County, the over 65 population is about 70 percent vaccinated. The under 65 is about 30 percent vaccinated,” he added.
The most recent figures for Lincoln County show a total of 3,419 people have tested positive, there have been 73 deaths and 3,266 people have recovered. From July 21 through July 28, there was an increase of 82 people testing positive in the county.
In Pottawatomie County, 8,679 people have tested positive, 132 people have died and 8,411 have recovered.
Between July 21 and July 28, there was a rise of 134 people testing positive, there was one additional death and 75 more have recovered.
These figures are provided by the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
He explains, “That’s because the Delta variant isn’t a brand new virus. If vaccinated, you still have the antibodies enough. That’s the reason it still works and you are much less susceptible to a severe infection. It’s better to be fully vaccinated than not,” he assures people.
Barrick pointed to where the largest uptick in the Delta variant is taking place.
“It’s in the I-44 corridor from Missouri to Texas and also Florida’s numbers are really bad.”
Dr. Grant points out, “If you’re not vaccinated, you are more susceptible and it will continue to spread as long as people are not vaccinated,” he believes.
He further commented, “People who are fully vaccinated are less subject to be contagious. Symptoms will be less severe.”
Dr. Grant indicated that studies show those fully vaccinated are about 90 percent less likely to spread it.
“If you are not vaccinated, get vaccinated,” he urges people. “There have been over 350 million people vaccinated and of those who have been vaccinated there haven’t been many with major side effects.”
He said those who have been vaccinated for over six months, that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines both provide memory cells that help to prevent people from catching the variant and if they do, making it less severe for most people.
He anticipates both Moderna and Pfizer to come out with boosters.
“But right now, the vaccine would be the same as they previously received,” he said.
Barrick concurs with Dr. Grant. “There’s no need to get a third shot, a booster at this time. It’s the same shot,” he said.
Like Dr. Grant, Barrick believes, “Ultimately, I feel we will see a booster. Pfizer has had the authority to do 12-17-year-olds and Moderna is working on it. They’re both also looking at doing 5-11-year-olds down the road,” he noted.
He thinks the answer to slowing the variant is, “More people getting vaccinated and wearing a mask when the situation calls for it. The vaccine is still available, it’s still free and all you have to do is make an appointment here or somewhere else,” he related.