Trying new methods of vaccine outreach

Owsley County Farmers Market provides the chance to buy produce and get a vaccine.

ONLY 13 OFKENTUCKY'S 120COUNTIES HAVE ATLEAST 50-PERCENTOF THEIRPOPULATION WITH ATLEAST ONE COVID-19VACCINE DOSEACCORDING TO THEC-D-C.ANGIE:MOST RESTRICTIONSHAVE ENDED, BUTTHE VIRUS IS STILLSPREADING ACROSSTHE STATE.THAT'S WHY SOMEAREAS ARE TRYINGDIFFERENTMETHODS TO REACHMORE PEOPLE ...ESPECIALLY INRURAL COUNTIES.LEX 18'S CONROYDELOUCHE GOESIN-DEPTH TO LOOKAT WHAT'S LEADINGTO THE LOWVACCINATION RATESAND HOW HEALTHLEADERS AREWORKING TOADDRESS IT."A LITTLE OVER30% OF OWSLEYCOUNTY'SPOPULATION HASAT LEAST ONEDOSE OF A COVID-19 VACCINE.

THEJUDGE EXECUTIVEAND HEALTHDEPARTMENT AREHOPING TO BOOSTTHOSE NUMBERS""WE TRY TOENCOURAGEPEOPLE TO GETTHE SHOT, BUT ITSEEMS LIKE IT'S ATOUGH SELL"AT THE MOMENT,OWSLEY COUNTYREMAINS IN THEBOTTOM FOURTHOF KENTUCKYCOUNTIES BYVACCINATION RATE.VIVIAN SMITH ISCOUNTYCOORDINATOR FORTHE HEALTHDEPARTMENT ...SHE POINTS TOTWO ISSUES,WHICH MANYRURAL COUNTIESFACE ... EDUCATIONOUTREACH, ANDTRANSPORTATION."TRYING TO REACHPEOPLE THAT LIVEOUT IN THE RURALAREAS.

IT'SHARDER TO GET TOTHEM,OR FOR THEMTHEM TO GET INTOUS"THAT'S WHY THENATIONAL GUARDHELPED BRING THESHOT TO THEPEOPLE ... IN THISINSTANCE, THEOWSLEY COUNTYFARMERS MARKET."WORD OF MOUTHGOES A LONG WAYIN SMALLCOMMUNITIES.

SOTHE MORE PEOPLETHAT WE GETTALKING ANDTELLING, I THINKWE CAN BETTER DOOUTREACH"EVER SINCE SHEGOT HER VACCINE... ANN GABBARDSAYS SHE'SENJOYED VISITINGWITH FRIENDS ANDGETTING BACK TOTHE FARMERSMARKET TO SELLHER GREEN BEANS."DIDN'T HAVE NOPROBELMSWHATSOEVER ONTHE FIRST OR THESECOND.

I'M GLAD ITOOK IT.

I WASAFRAID OF IT THEFIRST TIME, BUT IWOULD REDO ITAGAIN IF I HAD TO"UNTIL RECENTLY,MELISSA SANDLINWAS HESITANTABOUT THEVACCINE, BUT THATCHANGED WHENHER SON, WHO IS INTHE MILITARY, GOTSICK."HE WAS GONE TOTRAINING ANDENDED UP GETTINGIT, AND SO HE WASLIKE, MOM PLEASEWITH YOUR HEALTHISSUES, FOR ME,DO THIS, SO FORMY CHILD I WOULDDO ANYTHING""DIDN'T HURT ATALL, DIDN'T HURT ATALL.

I DIDN'T FEELTHE NEEDLE GO IN"RECENTLY, THESTATE'S PUBLICHEALTHCOMMISSIONER,DR. STEVEN STACK,REPORTED THATNEARLY 99-PERCENT OFTHOSEHOSPITALIZED INTHE LAST SEVERALWEEKS WERE ALSOUNVACCINATED."CLEVELANDMEDICAL CENTERSAYS THAT 98% OFPEOPLE IN THEIRHOSPITALS DUE TOCOVID HVAE NOTHAD THESHOT...PARDON ME,BUT THOSE ODDSTELL ME I NEED TOGET THE SHOT"FOUR PEOPLEENDED UP GETTINGTHEIR FIRST DOSEAT THE FARMERSMARKET."THOSE FOURPEOPLE ARE GOINGTO GO TALK TOTHEIR FAMILIES, TOTHEIR FRIENDS, TOTHEIR CHURCHMEMEBERS TOKNOW THAT THEYGOT THE VACCINE.IT'S SAFE"ONE OF THOSE, ISMELISSA SANDLIN ...BUT SHE'S MOSTEXCITED TO CALLHER SON ... ANDTELL HIM THAT SHEGOT HER FIRSTDOSE.IN OWSLEYCOUNTY, CONROYDELOUCHE, LEX 18NEWS.