BILLINGS — Interest in the COVID-19 vaccine has been dropping ever since the first shot, and it’s apparent in Yellowstone County. Since September, RiverStone Health workers have administered 1,145 COVID-19 shots throughout the county, a lot less than the nearly 1,900 flu vaccinations that have been doled out.
At Pharm406 on Billings West End, people are still coming in for vaccinations against multiples diseases, but more people are unsure whether they'll get the COVID-19 shot this season.
“Trying to stay up on our immunizations so we come here to 406 and got our shingles shot today,” said Candy Alberi, who drove to Pharm406 from Red Lodge Tuesday.
The decision wasn’t so easy for Alberi when it came to the new COVID-19 vaccine that rolled out in September.
“I’m not sure if we are. I know as we grow older it’s more important as we age. Fortunately, my husband and I are healthy so that makes it easier to make that decision," said Alberi, who got her COVID-19 vaccine shots last year.
Alberi’s not alone.
“We’ve learned to live with COVID. Human race has come around, they’re not afraid of COVID. If they get COVID, they stay home for three to five days and they don’t really see the benefit of getting vaccinated anymore,” said Kyle Austin, owner of Pharm406.
Austin sees it all when it comes to reactions to the COVID vaccine. While only 14% of American adults have received this year’s COVID vaccine, 28% have gotten their flu shot.
“Are they as effective as the flu shot? I would say they’re more effective because the technology out there is more advanced than flu shot technology,” Austin said.
He believes there’s no specific reason that interest in the COVID vaccine has waned. COVID shots are now more expensive for the uninsured since they’re no longer subsidized by the government.
“If you’re an individual that’s uninsured, you’re going to be flipping a bill for $150 for a COVID shot this year,” said Austin.
Some might be nervous about the side effects they felt with the first COVID-19 vaccines.
“What the manufacturers did this year was they went back to a monovalent COVID vaccine and people are seeing very side effects with it,” Austin said.
He said the politicization of the pandemic also didn’t help vaccination hesitancy.
“That’s when we saw a huge hesitancy. I’m not going to get it or I’m going to get it. And there was a very fine line on there,” said Austin.
A vaccine that’s still divisive, but for 65-year-old Kelly LeSueur, it’s an easy decision.
“I’ve just seen what people can go through and the hardships and stuff by having the COVID and stuff so I made sure to get those and the boosters and everything just to be sure, cover all the bases,” LeSueur said at Pharm406.
