Tuesday, February 9, 2021
Coronavirus in rural America (Part CXXIV): Rural seniors struggle to receive COVID-19 vaccine
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, those aged 65 and older have been given priority to receive the vaccine as a result of their increased risk of both developing severe COVID-19 symptoms and requiring hospitalization. However, this process has been easier said than done.
Although, individuals aged 65 and older qualify to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, in many states such as Massachusetts, California, Tennessee, and others, some elderly residents have passed on the opportunity to get vaccinated. Some cite fear of the newly created vaccine and its potential side effects, while others’ hesitancy stems from misinformation that has surrounded the vaccine, as discussed in more detail here.
While some decline receiving the vaccine, others are desperate for their turn to arrive. As discussed in this blog entry, the COVID-19 vaccination rollout has been difficult for a variety of reasons, including, among other things, its unique temperature requirement, lack of appropriate storage, and batch quantities. However, this rollout has proven even more difficult for elderly residents in rural areas, given some of the obstacles they face, such as a lack of access to transportation and internet.
First, the method for signing up to obtain a vaccine can be quite complicated for an older person to navigate, given that many counties and states have asked individuals to request an appointment via the internet. Thus, in order for elderly residents to request an appointment, they need to have internet access and be sufficiently tech-savvy to work their way around the state/county’s website.
This presents a problem considering that 16.5% or roughly 9.5 million seniors, many of these in rural areas, lack internet access. More information regarding the broadband gap can be found here. To make matters more difficult, the process for obtaining an appointment can be complicated. Getting an appointment often requires “fast fingers, constant website refreshing, printing out confirmations, or access to a smartphone for text alerts.”
In an effort to address some of these concerns, some counties have gotten creative. Knowing that seniors tend to be more comfortable with using the telephone as opposed to the internet, county officials in Morgantown, West Virginia put up a “large road construction sign” with the number seniors could call and request an appointment. However, this hasn’t helped the fact that many seniors, especially those in rural areas, are unable to travel to the vaccination hubs due to a lack of transportation.
Seniors in rural areas face the additional obstacle of transportation. Unlike their urban counterparts, rural seniors often “live far away from major chain pharmacies like CVC and RiteAid, and may not have…a means of transportation.” This, taken in conjunction with the fact that rural areas have a larger population of elderly residents, paints a grim picture for those seniors in rural areas trying to get the vaccine.
In addition to the unique struggles that the senior population faces, they are still subject to the same issues affecting the nationwide vaccine rollout. The high demand for the vaccine contrasted with the low number of doses, leaves seniors competing with each other to receive a vaccine. The process may be tricky to navigate and many seniors may require the assistance of family and/or friends if they hope to get vaccinated.
The challenge that seniors are encountering trying to get vaccinated has led to frustration and, as a result, some seniors have abandoned all efforts to get vaccinated in the near future. Some seniors have complained that the process is not only difficult but competitive. Many seniors have resorted to forming lines outside clinics or pharmacies hoping to gain some information about when and how they can make an appointment.
In sum, the COVID-19 vaccination rollout has led to a number of problems for rural seniors. In addition to the supply shortages, seniors in rural areas have the added burden of navigating the appointment process which is not only competitive, but also requires access to both internet and transportation. Something that can be scarce in rural America. Given the numerous obstacles, it is no wonder that many seniors in rural America have given up hopes of getting vaccinated any time soon.
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6 comments:
It was so disheartening to read about the numerous obstacles preventing seniors from receiving a vaccine, particularly the prevalent thought that competition is necessary. The billboards seemed like a good, but, as you pointed out, limited, outreach idea. It seems that local news outlets should also share vaccination phone numbers daily as to reach seniors primarily at home. I recently saw a news story covering a county in northern California where seniors were forced to line up outside on a first come first served basis, with individuals camping out in cold weather just to ensure they would receive a vaccine. It seems like there must be better options than this.
Thank you for writing about this, Ana. I feel like I've only read about rural states defying expectations and beating California and New York in rolling out the vaccine. Reading about simple solutions, like road signs for seniors to see the state's phone number, makes everything done online seem overly complicated and frustrating the process. Nonetheless, the problems of vast distance between population centers and lack of communication infrastructure are issues that will not be solved anytime soon. It's a good reminder that the end is not in sight, and that truly defeating the coronavirus will involve overcoming these old obstacles.
Thanks for writing on this complicated topic! It is something I have been hearing about anecdotally from my parents and their friends. My parents have several friends who have ended up driving to neighboring counties like Kern from San Luis Obispo County in order to find a vaccine appointment, despite being qualified. This is something that is definitely not an option for everyone, particularly those seniors without internet access to search for nearby appointments, transportation access, or the ability to take off work. In light of the challenges with access to technology, it makes sense that some of the solutions might be deceptively simple, like phone calls and a road sign with information. I am hopeful that as the vaccine rollout continues, California will implement more of these solutions to reach rural elders.
Ana, I am happy that you decided to write about this issue! The barriers that elderly rural residents face in obtaining the vaccine, especially as one of the most high-risk groups, is quite concerning. Although some counties are trying, in light of the demand and the necessity to get this group vaccinated, I hope that public officials work hard to think of new ways to make the vaccine more accessible. For rural counties, this could be public transit designated specifically for vaccinating this group or additional outreach efforts such as public health booths at the local grocery stores, etc., to help them sign-up for their vaccines. In all, I agree that the vaccination roll out for rural seniors has been difficult. I hope that officials start thinking of more ways to ease the burden.
Really interesting post, Ana. This reminds me of the conversations we've had in class about broadband access in rural America. I hadn't thought of the intersections between rural vaccine access and transportation, maybe because our world has become so much smaller and digital that it's easier to assume everyone is online. This issue with vaccinations reminds me of something that my friends studying public health were discussing at the start of the pandemic - that an issue like this would reveal and exacerbate problems existing in infrastructure, and this seems to be the case. I agree with my classmates' comments and hope that public health officials are able to find solutions that get vaccines to some of the America's most vulnerable seniors quickly.
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