Local vaccine clinics run smooth

Blanchard Valley Hospital has seen a "dramatic decrease" in the number of COVID-19 patients in recent weeks, Dr. Bill Kose, vice president of special projects said at a recent continuing medical education presentation held through Blanchard Valley Health System. Roxanne Williams, director of corporate quality, associate and patient safety, said the health system has received doses of both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, and is offering vaccine clinics regularly. Kose said the health system is not charging for the vaccine, which is being distributed through the federal government, although some pharmacies may be charging an administration fee. And, he said, no one legitimately will be asking for your Social Security number noting that there are a lot of scams going around. Dr. Maria Slack, an allergy specialist, said the most common symptoms after getting vaccinated include pain, fatigue and headache. She encouraged doctors to educate their patients on what to expect after receiving their shot. And while serious adverse events have been reported, it's important to remember that — however much you may hear about them in media reports — it's actually "a very small fraction" of people who experience these, Slack said. She said younger people, women, and individuals with a history of allergies have a higher risk of anaphylaxis. Patients with a history of anaphylaxis are advised to wait longer after getting their injection to see if they have an adverse reaction. Slack pointed out that as of Feb. 1, more people locally had had at least one dose of the vaccine than had tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began. Another physician also reported that, as of Feb. 3, hospital staff had completed 181 infusions of monoclonal antibodies, a type of treatment given to COVID-19 patients on an outpatient basis with the goal of keeping them from being admitted to the hospital. Of these patients, 59.5% reported several days later that their symptoms were improving, and another 28.6% said their symptoms had resolved. Hancock Public Health, not Blanchard Valley, is operating the vaccine registry, so anyone wanting to sign up to get a vaccine must contact the health department. To sign up, visit hancockpublichealth.com. The health system, however, is operating a website that offers information about vaccines in not only Hancock County but surrounding counties. It can be found at bvhsvaccineconnect.com.