Local health officials to address COVID-19 vaccine concerns

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) COVID-19 vaccine appointments are more widely available these days, but there are still residents who express concerns and doubts about the vaccines.

"The supply of the vaccine is definitely higher than the demand," said Carla Spencer from Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System.

Monterey County health officials are trying to meet herd immunity as the vaccination rate declines. However, health officials said that vaccine hesitancy is not big in our area. Dr. Joshua Deutsch from
Mee Memorial Hospital said he hasn't really seen vaccine hesitancy in South County.

"I don't think that we're gonna have major pockets of people who say no, absolutely not, I will never
get this vaccine," said Deutsch. "I think it's going to take more of what we know works, which is building relationships, putting the messages out there meeting people where they're at."

According to health officials, people find it challenging to access the vaccine whether it's having other priorities, the complexity of setting appointments, or transportation. Medical Director of Infection Prevention at Community Hospital Dr. Martha Blum said the virus doesn't discriminate and sees someone who's immune or not immune.

"The likelihood that we're going to uncover, some major safety concerns with these vaccines now is extremely low," said Blum. "I do not foresee us finding any new surprise safety concerns with these vaccines now. I think what we're seeing is really what is they're highly effective and safe.:

Misty Hrabik, a Prunedale resident and is a mother of three children. No one in her family has received the vaccines nor plans on doing so, she said.

"There's absolutely no way that anybody can tell me that this vaccine is safer than catching coronavirus," said Hrabik.

Hrabik said her family placed this vaccine in the same category as the flu shot. She also said this vaccine should continue to be a choice.

"We most likely will not get this vaccine. Just because again, we don't find it to be necessary for us. We can see how maybe others feel differently," said Hrabik. "And again, that's fine. But especially now it's in an experimental phase. And personally, I am not one that wants to be part of the experiment"