Yuma Sun

Race to vaccinate older Americans is gaining traction

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

Two months after the first COVID-19 shots were administer­ed, the race to vaccinate older Americans is gaining traction, with more than a third of people 65 and up having received their first dose in states that have provided data.

The finding comes from an Associated Press analysis of informatio­n from 27 states where data is available. Those states account for just over half of all first doses administer­ed nationwide.

“This is very good news. This is a sign we’re doing it right,” said Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. Vaccine hesitancy is dropping quickly as older Americans talk to their friends who have been vaccinated, he said. “They’re watching people they know get the vaccine and seeing it’s safe.”

The effort is uneven, with many other states still lagging behind on vaccinatio­ns of the higher-risk population.

Mokdad added: “We can do better. I can’t wait for the day when all those who want the vaccine can get the vaccine. The system we have in place is working. We have to keep pushing for more vaccine.”

The proportion of vaccines given to those 65 years and older varies. It’s about three-quarters of all first-dose shots in Florida and more than two-thirds in North Carolina.

In Indiana, Alaska and West Virginia, almost half of the population 65 years and older has received the first dose. In North Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado, Florida and Utah, about a third of that population has received the first dose.

Oregon, Pennsylvan­ia, Kansas, Nebraska and Maryland, are on the lower end, with 20% or less of the 65-and-older population. The administra­tion of Pennsylvan­ia Gov. Tom Wolf and a bipartisan group of state lawmakers said Wednesday that they would create a vaccine task force that will brainstorm ways to administer COVID-19 shots more rapidly.

As of Wednesday, the federal government had distribute­d 46.4 million vaccine doses to states and other jurisdicti­ons, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So far, almost 34 million people, or 10% of the U.S. population, have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Nearly 10.5 million people, or 3% of the population, have received both doses.

President Joe Biden, who is moving to ease supply bottleneck­s, announced Thursday that the U.S. will have enough supply of the two-dose vaccine by the end of the summer to inoculate 300 million Americans. He said the U.S. had secured contractua­l commitment­s from Moderna and Pfizer to deliver the 600 million doses by the end of July – more than a month earlier than initially anticipate­d.

Older Americans have borne the brunt of the deaths and hospitaliz­ations from the virus, which has claimed more than 473, 000 lives in the U.S. About 80% of the people who have died from COVID have been adults 65 and older.

There’s not yet enough data to analyze whether vaccinatio­n is reducing infections and deaths in that age group, Mokdad said. But his research center, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, plans to look at that during the coming weeks.

Experts recommend that people continue wearing masks and practicing social distancing even after receiving COVID-19 shots. Although recipients are expected to get some level of protection within a couple of weeks of the first shot, full protection may not happen until a couple weeks after the second shot. It’s unclear whether vaccinated people can still spread the virus.

Still, the vaccines have already had a real impact on the lives of older Americans.

Stephanie LaBumbard, 80, spent most of last year alone and separated from family at home in Cadillac, Michigan. Now she’s feeling a surge in positivity after getting her second vaccine dose.

“I’m not home free yet, but I feel in a lot better shape,” LaBumbard said. She has yet to change her cautious behavior but is making plans to do so and couldn’t be happier about it. Being able to go out with friends again seems “just an absolute miracle.”

“It’s so wonderful to realize that we can be back to normal or something like it.”

She’s especially happy to be able to worship in person at her church, where she will return Sunday after taking part via Zoom for months. She had to give up volunteeri­ng at a hospital and getting coffee and dinner with friends, but she especially missed her family.

“I was alone at Thanksgivi­ng. I was with just one of my sons for Christmas. Especially when you get to my age ... I feel young, but you don’t know, this could be my last Christmas,” she said, adding that she’s pleased with Michigan’s vaccine distributi­on. “It seems to me that they have done a fantastic job up here. They had everything so well organized.”

It’s a different story in North Carolina’s rural Warren County, where Leticia Bonilla has been frustrated by an inability to make a vaccine appointmen­t locally and would prefer not to wait in line at a mass vaccine clinic in another county.

The 66-year-old retired teacher said the nurse at her doctor’s office offered to help her get on a waiting list, but she declined because it felt too uncertain.

“I said, ‘Well, how long is the list?’ She said, ‘I don’t know. We don’t have any vaccines yet.’ And I said, ‘Well, why would I put my name there?’ ... And I just hung up,” Bonilla said.

North Carolina’s vaccine distributi­on process runs through a decentrali­zed system that enables county health department­s and vaccine providers to develop their own processes for making vaccine appointmen­ts.

Lynn Bender and her husband, Mark Bender, both 70, got their second vaccine dose two weeks ago. The couple are from Monroe Township, New Jersey, but for about 10 weeks a year, they live in a retirement community in Coconut Creek, Florida, that Broward County used for a test rollout. They got to be part of it, and they are happy to be surrounded by people who are also vaccinated.

“It makes it very nice that at least when you feel safe you have somebody to be safe with,” Lynn Bender said. “We’re to the point now that we can socialize with somebody, play cards or mahjong.”

They have especially missed attending art and craft fairs and supporting artists and artisans around the country throughout the year, something they are looking forward to doing when they can let their guard down further.

“We really haven’t changed much, everybody’s still being cautious,” she said. “But as one of my friends says, knowing you’re not going to die makes you feel better.”

• Annuals – Plant transplant­s: petunias, snapdragon­s, alyssum, pansies. Sow seeds: African daisy, alyssum, bachelor button, hollyhock, calendula, California poppy, clarkia, lupine, delphinium, penstemon, baby’s breath, hollyhock, larkspur and sweet pea.

• Bulbs – Plant anemone, daffodil, narcissus, gladiolus, crinum and ranunculus.

• Citrus – Plant citrus trees. Fertilize establishe­d citrus with a balanced fertilizer midFebruar­y. Water trees deeply before and after fertilizin­g.

• Grapes – Prune establishe­d vines leaving 2-4 main canes, and prune main canes to a length of 3 feet. Plant ‘Thompson seedless’ or ‘Flame seedless’ grapevines.

• Herbs – Plant thyme, mint, basil, parsley, and lavender throughout your garden to help repel unwanted insects. Plant borage, caraway, chervil, cilantro, dill, fennel and lemon balm.

• Pollinator plants – Plant aloe, chuparosa, lantana, desert milkweed, penstemon, salvia, desert willow tree, fairy duster, flame honeysuckl­e, desert marigold, orange bells, yellow bells, lantana, penstemon, and red yucca. Sow wildflower seeds. To attract bats, plant Arizona Queen of the Night cacti and tufted evening primrose.

• Perennials – Plant brittlebus­h, penstemon, bee balm, desert marigold, globe mallow, moss verbena, yarrow, gazania and Shasta daisy. Prune or divide establishe­d perennials, if needed.

• Roses – Plant bare-root or container roses. Prune establishe­d roses leaving 3-5 main canes and remove ½ the length of main canes. Prune canes above a five-leaflet leaf facing the direction you want the new cane to grow. Apply systemic fertilizer and continue fertilizin­g every 6 weeks to prepare for April blooms. Rake and dispose of leaf litter beneath roses to prevent powdery mildew on leaves.

• Trees/Shrubs – Plant deciduous fruit trees that require less than 400 chill hours. (apple: ‘Anna’ and ‘Dorset Gold’; apricot: ‘Gold Kist’ and ‘Katy’; peach: ‘Babcock’, ‘Bonanza Miniature’, ‘Desert Gold’, and ‘Tropic Beauty’; plum: ‘Santa Rosa’, ‘Satsuma’, ‘Gulf Gold’, ‘Gulf Ruby’, and ‘Beauty’). Plant nut trees: ‘Western Schley’ and ‘Wichita’ pecan. Plant shade trees: palo verde, honey mesquite, orchid tree, Australian bottlebrus­h, willow acacia. Fertilize the outer two-thirds of soil under establishe­d deciduous fruit and nut trees with a 10-10-10 fertilizer. Fertilize pecans and grapes with a zinc-rich fertilizer. Plant deciduous trees after last frost. Prune deciduous trees, as needed, before they leaf out.

Prune woody shrubs as needed, when they become leggy. Plant pines: Aleppo, Afghan, Italian stone, Mondell, and Arizona cypress.

Plant landscape plants: myrtle, popcorn acacia, Texas sage, purple ruellia, desert senna, hibiscus, Arizona yellow bells, red bird of paradise, orange bells, Baja fairy duster, red emu, cape honeysuckl­e, and little-leaf cordia.

• Vegetables – Continue sowing seeds for beets, bush beans, bok choy, cucumbers, collard greens, mustard, and leaf lettuces, Swiss chard, green onions, carrots, radishes, turnips, spinach, turnips, cantaloupe, and watermelon. Sow seeds for spring vegetables indoors: cucumber, muskmelon

and summer squash. Set out transplant­s midFebruar­y and protect from late-season frosts. Plant transplant­s: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflowe­r, tomatoes, and peppers. Choose short season varieties (50-70 days) of tomatoes and peppers so they will bear before Yuma’s intense heat arrives. Plant asparagus crowns.

Vines – Plant Black-Eyed Susan vine, passion vine, snail vine, queen’s wreath, yellow orchid vine, and Arabian jasmine.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) You will feel the need to keep secrets today. Gossip and chatter will be constant, and discretion is an issue. This provides a perfect opportunit­y for self-analysis and soul-searching. Many surprising insights come. Tonight: You get -- or receive -- a brilliant idea.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Today brings a deeper sense of self. Diversify rather than get bogged down by one large, overwhelmi­ng project. Finances brighten, and your heart is warmed by the love and regard of others. Tonight: Reach out to others. You will be warmly received.

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Select goals for the future. Write a wish list. Much informatio­n and many new ideas are directed your way. Tonight: Opportunit­ies for study or your career are likely to come about.

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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today enables you to understand children well. Listen carefully to loved ones, and a new rapport will develop. Friendship­s move to a deeper level. Others will offer you the emotional support you need. Tonight: A new strength and confidence develops.

SAGITTARIU­S (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) A household gathering is peppered with lively discussion­s. Ideas and stories that family members exchange will inspire you. The day promises ease and satisfacti­on. If you feel like being a homebody today, and that is perfectly OK. Tonight: A good night’s sleep.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) You will speak and move more quickly today. Short journeys, meetings and many conversati­ons set a busy pace. Stay wellinform­ed. It is an excellent time to catch up on correspond­ence, make plans or try some serious writing. Tonight: Watch the news.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today emphasizes your finances. An extra job or project opportunit­y might very well boost your income. Careful study of your budget assists in stretching your hard-earned money. Avoid being too generous with others. Tonight: Offer a needy person encouragem­ent and advice.

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