Murmurs from the Springs - Missed Opportunities : Tom McDermott

Missed Opportunities

Like other rich countries, the US has been pushing ahead with its COVID-19 vaccination programme for about six weeks now.

Yesterday I was among the lucky few to get my second shot. At least in my case, the process was easy. The hospital network to which we belong identified me as someone in the over 70 group, offered an appointment, I accepted and showed up at the designated times. At the vaccination clinic the process was equally smooth - give your name and date of birth, go to a booth, get the shot, sit a few minutes in case there is a reaction, stamp the vaccination card and leave. For both the first and second shots I was in and out in less than 15 minutes.

Unfortunately, the efficiency ended just outside the clinic’s doors. Concerned that I might react to the shot, my wife accompanied me to both appointments. As she is slightly under the age 70 criterion, she does not yet qualify for vaccination. Looking around the parking lot, nearly every car had a spouse or partner waiting for a patient. Considering the goal of covering as much of the population as quickly as possible, this was a wasted opportunity. Moreover, it was a missed opportunity to protect families, and not just individuals.

I spoke about this to a friend when he phoned from Santa Fe yesterday. His story was similar. As a native American, he qualified for coverage by the Indian Health Service. His wife of 33 years took him to the clinic this week for his first shot. She qualified by age but is not a native American So, instead of both being vaccinated, she must wait for an appointment sometime in the future from another health network.

When vaccine supplies are limited, it is natural that governments try to set out priorities for their allocation. These decisions are sometimes based on good public health guidance, but also at times on political concerns. Demanding strict adherence to priorities can create missed opportunities, such as when you leave accompanying family members sitting in the parking lot. I prefer‘a catch them while you can’ approach.  You may not get a second chance to vaccinate someone.  When you have them in front of you, take the opportunity and jab them.

Another sort of missed opportunity occurs when governments become overly strict in applying their policies and end up squashing sensible community initiatives.

This item appeared in yesterday’s news:

ELBERTON, Georgia — A small Georgia city was still in shock Friday, days after state health workers raided the busiest medical clinic in the county and seized its Covid-19 vaccine supply because staffers had given doses to teachers. "Everything that we had tried to do up until now to vaccinate our county was just laid to waste," said Dr. Jonathan Poon.

The community clinic had more vaccine doses than residents wanted.  They offered some of the surplus to teachers.   Despite the pandemic, public schools in Georgia are required to operate normally, yet teachers are not given any priority for vaccination.

The penalty suffered by the community for the offense of offering vaccines to their teachers? The community clinic will receive no more doses until the end of July. Punish a community for vaccinating its teachers? Really?  

Well, keep in mind that this is Georgia, the same state where until mid August the Governor restricted any municipality from requiring that people wear masks in restaurants, stores or public buildings.  Even now wearing of masks is only 'encouraged', not required.  

The pandemic will only come under control when everyone has acquired immunity - whether through immunization or through infection. Not missing opportunities as we push ahead with vaccination requires us to ask ourselves about our goals. We want to protect the vulnerable by giving them priority. We want children to return to school.  We want to end the pandemic by vaccinating as many people as possible as quickly as possible. Those goals are not always compatible.

Good policy requires good balance. Good balance requires good flexibility.