Low Vaccination Rates in Bridgeton
By Albert B. Kelly
As I write this, approximately 596,000 Americans have died as a result of the Covid-19 virus depending on which source you reference. Despite this staggering number which by the way, is quickly approaching the total number of dead from the American Civil War which unfolded over the course of nearly 5 years from 1861 to 1865, many seem unfazed even though this death toll occurred over 14 months as opposed to 5 years.
Over the past several weeks, the news out of India is equally shocking in that they’re losing 4,200 people per day to this virus. Closer to home, we have lost nearly 400 of our neighbors in Cumberland County and just over 50 here in Bridgeton. I remind myself of these numbers because it is the backdrop against which we must consider the question of vaccinations and vaccine hesitancy.
As we move through the spring of 2021 and toward the fat part of summer, there is this feeling that the worst is behind us and we can now get on with our lives and this is partly true for most of us here in our little corner of the world as restrictions are lifted, capacities are increased, social distancing requirements are eased, and masks become just another part of the wardrobe.
Some of what is propelling us toward normalcy is the fact that at least some of us have gotten one of the Covid-19 vaccines since January. In New Jersey as a whole, 43% of adults over age 18 have been vaccinated. In Cumberland County, out of 116,079 people over the age of 18, some 36% or 41,788 of our neighbors have been fully vaccinated. That means that 74,291 of our neighbors have not been vaccinated.
These numbers will change weekly, but as it stands, we are at the lower end of the spectrum. As Bridgeton’s mayor, I am naturally focused on my community and here, the news is not what I would have hoped when it comes to vaccination rates. With a population of roughly 17,009 people over age 18, only 26% or 4,422 of our adult men and women have gotten vaccinated. This means that 12,587 of our residents have not gotten the vaccine.
Again, numbers will change as the weeks unfold, but we also know that supply is outstripping demand- meaning that there is an ample supply of vaccines available for any who want it, but the fact is that many do not want to receive the vaccine. I am troubled by the low vaccination rate in my community and I am worried about the implications for the future.
I say this because while I am vaccinated as are a certain number of those in my immediate circle, I also know that an equal or greater share of those around me are not vaccinated and this means, at least to me, that they are far more vulnerable to the ravages of this virus then to any potential side effects that might come from a vaccine.
To put things in perspective, according to the CDC over 245 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered nationwide from December 14, 2020, through May 3, 2021 and VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) received 4,178 reports of death (0.0017%) among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine as compared to 596,000 Americans who have died from the virus- the same microscopic numbers hold true for allergic reactions to the vaccines. My point is that people have a much greater chance of dying from the virus then getting sick or dying from any of the vaccines that have been approved.
With the health of my community in mind, I want to encourage everyone to get one of the Covid vaccines now if you haven’t already. If you’re unsure about these vaccines, talk with your doctor and if you don’t have a doctor, talk to one of the doctors at Complete Care, a place by the way where you can also get vaccinated.
Vaccines will not guarantee that you’ll not get Covid, but it will greatly lessen the chances that the infection will put you in the hospital or worse and we also have to think about variants and how this virus might change and mutate over the coming months. There are several variants out there now and we could be facing a new phase with this virus in a matter of months. Now is the time to get ahead of Covid.