This week on WCLK's The Local Take(Saturdays 8am), we are on a mission to combat vaccine hesitancy in our community. I reached out to Dr. Jayne Morgan, the executive director for the COVID Task Force for Piedmont Hospital Group in Georgia, to speak with us about this issue. Dr. Jayne Morgan has communicated with us before and even shared her vaccine experience. Additionally, she records “The Stairwell Chronicles,” short videos that provide loads of information on COVID19, vaccines, and treatments.
Vaccine hesitancy is widespread in our state and our community. I ask Dr. Morgan point blank are the COVID19 vaccines safe? She responds with “Absolutely!” She shares that the vaccines have been given to millions over the last several months, not counting the clinical trials before receiving emergency use approval.
Many people do not trust mRNA science. My understanding is that this method or technology has been around for a few decades. Dr. Morgan shares that it has been around since the 1970s. She speaks about the challenges of working with mRNA.
She also speaks about using the technology to create the COVID19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. More vaccines using the mRNA method are on the horizon.
We know that over 600,000 people in our country have died from COVID19. The CDC also reports that of the millions of people who have received the vaccine, 0.0017% have experienced a fatal reaction. This may or may not have anything to do with getting vaccinated. I ask Dr. Morgan if there is any reason that a healthy person should not be vaccinated. She speaks about the SARS-COV2 virus, which is exceptionally dangerous to humans. She talks about the Delta variant being only 10% of the cases one month ago, and now it is 51% of the cases. She explains that viruses mutate and that variants come about when a virus makes multiple mutations. The Lambda variant is the dominant strain in South America that is now in the United Kingdom.
The vaccines are the best tool to tamp down the spread of variants.
I spoke about the mental relief I experienced after being fully vaccinated. I share this with hesitant associates. I asked Dr. Morgan what she does to try and combat the misinformation. She speaks about her “Stairwell Chronicles,” which can be found across her social media platforms. She dispenses information and knowledge. She mentions local public health departments and taking an opportunity to speak with your healthcare provider. Dr. Morgan sheds light on the misinformation regarding vaccines and fertility.
To get vaccinated in Georgia
For more information on Dr. Jayne Morgan
To view the Stairwell Chronicles