40% of Ohio nursing home workers decline vaccine; health care leaders fight misinformation
CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Greg Miller runs seven facilities as vice president of The Health Care Management Group.
“I did receive the vaccine last week and my arm was sore like a flu shot, and then the next day, it was completely fine,” said Miller who’s been relaying his experience with his staff and residents.
About 90% of HCMG’s residents are taking the vaccine, but only about half of the staff is doing the same. On a larger level, Gov. Mike DeWine says only 60% of nursing home workers are taking the vaccine.
“It just depends on various amounts of COVID that have been in your building. Some buildings have had more cases; the staff has seen what's happened to their coworkers and how contagious it is and how easy it is to get,” said Miller.
Miller says there are some misinformation and skepticism floating around, so he and other health leaders are hosting webinars to educate staff members.
"You hear about the person that got it and passed out. Well, then you find out they passed out because they were scared of needles and completely unrelated to the vaccine, so just like any vaccine, you can get the flu shot and have a reaction to it," he said.
Pete Van Runkle, executive director of the Ohio Healthcare Association, recently expressed the same concern.
"There's all these weird things about microchips and things like that, which is all craziness, but some people think it's true, so we have to deal with that," Van Runkle said.
Miller says he thinks more staff members will take the shot when more doses are delivered.
"It's the old high school game -- not to minimize it -- you go first, and if your arm doesn't fall off, I'll be the next one in," he said.
And he's reminding people that life can't go back to normal until there's some immunity.
"The masking and social distancing is the bridge to the vaccine. Now that the vaccine is here, that's the bridge to normal."
