The number of Bartholomew County residents who received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine last week declined for the fifth consecutive week, reaching the lowest level since early January.
Last week, a total of 1,085 people received their first dose, down from 1,382 the week before and the lowest seven-day total since the week of Jan. 3, when 868 first doses were administered, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
By comparison, 3,312 first doses were administered to Bartholomew County residents the week of April 4, though 924 people that week were vaccinated at a mass vaccination clinic at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds. The week after that, 2,475 people received their first dose.
Overall, 4,488 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered to Bartholomew County residents last week, up from 4,199 the week before, though 75% of the vaccines administered were second doses. The single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine represented 1% of total vaccinations.
Similar declines in first doses are being seen in Jackson and Jennings counties.
A total of 409 Jackson County residents received their first shot last week, down from 501 the week before and 1,010 the week of April 4, according to state records.
In Jennings County, 148 people received their COVID-19 shot, down slightly from 163 the week before and a four-fold decline from the week of April 4.
The decline in first doses administered to people living in the Columbus area comes as health officials across the country say interest in COVID-19 shots has started to wane, with some states leaving more than half their available doses unordered, The Associated Press reported.
Locally, CRH is anticipating a drop-off in local demand for vaccines by mid- to late-May and local officials are preparing to shift to a more targeted vaccine rollout in the coming weeks, hospital officials said.
CRH started offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations at its clinic in Columbus due to, in part, the projected decline in demand.
If Sunday and Monday of this week are any indication, the county looks poised to see further declines in first doses this week, with just 103 doses administered, down from 292 during the same period last week.
As of Tuesday morning, about 44% of eligible Bartholomew County residents, representing 35% of the county’s total population, were fully vaccinated.
That is still far below what many public health officials say will be needed to reach herd immunity — the threshold experts believe is needed to stop uncontrolled spread of COVID-19.
Currently, most infectious disease experts agree that at least 70% to 80% of the population will need to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity.
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Hoosiers age 16 and older can receive a COVID-19 vaccine. To find a vaccination clinic near you, visit https://ourshot.in.gov or call 211 if you do not have access to a computer or require assistance.
Hoosiers can obtain a vaccine without an appointment at participating clinics. To find vaccination sites, visit https://ourshot.in.gov. Patients with an appointment at a state-hosted public vaccination site can get a free Uber ride. Call 2-1-1 or (866) 211-9966 to receive a voucher to cover the cost of an Uber ride to and from your vaccination appointments.
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