New Hampshire passed a tragic pandemic milestone this week, registering the state’s 1,000th death from COVID-19. But there was also good news. On Tuesday, the state began what will likely be a month-long campaign to vaccinate people 65 and older, as well as younger people with serious medical conditions – which it refers to as “Phase 1B” of the rollout.
NHPR’s Todd Bookman spoke with All together host Emily Quirk to discuss the current phase of the pandemic, and a new challenge that has surfaced in recent days: getting timely second doses of the vaccine.
(Editor’s note: The following transcript has been slightly edited for clarity)
Emily Quirk: Help us put 1,000 dead into perspective. Other than the human toll, how does this number compare to other causes of death in New Hampshire?
Todd Bookman: The state records approximately 12,000 resident deaths each year, the leading causes of death being cancer and heart disease. But in 2020, COVID-19 also became one of the main causes.
So, to put that 1,000 deaths in perspective, in 2019, the year before COVID emerged, about 300 residents died of heart attacks, less than 100 died in motor vehicle accidents, and there were about 500 deaths from Alzheimer’s disease.
The flu, which some people also compared to COVID-19 in the early stages of the pandemic, killed 31 people in 2019. So more than 1,000 COVID-19 deaths in less than a year, that’s all those numbers in the shadows. The risk of the coronavirus, especially for older Granite Staters, is quite clear.
EQ: Well, those older granite staters – people 65 and older – are now starting to get their vaccinations, along with residents with serious medical conditions. How did the launch of this process go?
TB: It has worked for some. It’s not for others.
(Click here to read NHPR’s complete guide to vaccine distribution)
The application process to schedule vaccines requires filling out two different forms online: a state website and then the form from the CDC, also known as VAMS. We’ve heard many people say that the different steps are confusing, or that they aren’t getting the correct confirmation emails, and the numbers show.
More than 200,000 completed the first step, but only about 120,000 people were able to make their first dose appointments. So tens of thousands of people starting the process but not finishing it, quite a big gap.
EQ: For those who were able to complete the trial, the first doses were given on Tuesday. We saw pictures of some very happy people getting their pictures in their car, the National Guard coordinated the process …
TB: Yes, in all likelihood, those who get appointments and get to the scene don’t have serious delays. Right now, there are about a dozen sites statewide, and these sites have had some sort of test run in the last few weeks as this is where first responders started getting their doses.
So now that more people are eligible, including those 65 and older, the system of administering the shots in your car seems to be going well.
EQ: But the system to coordinate that second shot … not that much. What’s the latest news about people getting an appointment for the second dose of vaccine?
TB: This problem only surfaced in recent days. Once you have received the first dose, people will need to log back into the system to schedule an appointment for a second dose.
NHPR has heard from a small number of people that the system has been full for weeks.
“When I went ahead and saw the dates, I was a little bit stunned because the earliest I could get was 57 days out,” Deborah Woodward from North Hampton told us.
EQ: So 57 days between the first and second dose: that’s a lot longer than we’ve heard about the recommended interval between these shots, right?
TB: Right, and this has caused a lot of people. The Pfizer version of the vaccine is designed to be given no less than 21 days apart, the Moderna version 28 apart. Those are the minimums. That was how these vaccines were tested and approved for use.
And according to the CDC, getting as close to that recommended interval as possible is ideal. But that’s not exactly what we hear from government officials. This week, Governor Chris Sununu was asked about the long delay between doses, and he basically said, don’t worry:
“It doesn’t affect effectiveness in terms of when you get the second dose,” said Sununu. “The first dose remains very effective and you get the second dose. There is a very long period, all indications are that it can be stretched a bit. “
But the CDC’s website says the time period between doses 1 and 2 should not exceed 42 days or 6 weeks. After that, the pharmaceutical companies have no data on the efficacy of the vaccines.
That has left many people worried and frustrated with planning a second dose.
EQ: So what is the state doing about it?
TB: Nothing has been formalized yet, but the state says it’s going to open new appointment schedules for those getting the second dose. Right now, officials are saying go ahead and make that second appointment in the system, even if it takes more than six weeks, and the state will somehow contact people or reschedule people with previous appointments. We just don’t know when that process can begin.
And it begs the question of why the system is not already designed to make both agreements at the same time.