NORTH CAROLINA, USA — Dr. Ashley Perrott, family medicine physician and senior physician executive with Novant Health Medical Group answered media questions Friday morning.
A wide range of topics were discussed, including the CDC emergency meeting on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, vaccine availability throughout North Carolina, and what it will take to get back to normal.
Q: We don't know the outcome of the emergency meeting concerning the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and its current pause. If that pause is lifted, how will you address hesitancy moving forward?
A: There is a small group of people who really have a preference for Johnson & Johnson even with this pause that’s occurred so we will likely, along with the health department and other healthcare organizations continue to give Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Although, we expect to see a lower volume of people that are interested in that vaccine now that there’s been a pause.
Q: Have you seen heightened hesitancy since the initial pause earlier this month?
A: I think the demand for vaccines in general has declined some since Johnson & Johnson has been pulled. There are still lots of people who want the Johnson & Johnson product who’ve told us when it's available again they will sign back up. I think the best advice we can give anyone is reach out to your primary care physician if you have questions and concerns. We want to encourage anyone who is willing to have the vaccine so if there are concerns about safety or any worry at all that’s our job. We want to be able to give good education to make sure that anyone who is concerned and wants a vaccine can get one safely.
Q: You are still providing Pfizer and Moderna. Is there even apprehension with those two vaccine options now?
A: In healthcare we experience hesitancy for lots of things all the time and this is a conversation physicians have in their practices every day. There will always be a group of people who are concerned about things that need an extra nudge or extra information to help them feel comfortable and we are all prepared to be able to do that.
Q: Governor Roy Cooper announced this week that some restrictions could be lifted by June 1 if 2/3 of the state is vaccinated. Why would we still have to wear masks?
A: While we have lived in COVID-19 for a very long year we still don’t know everything about it. There is some concern whether even those who are vaccinated could be carriers of COVID-19, we’re not sure how long the antibody response lasts for COVID-19 so we want to be sure to protect people as much as we can. The CDC has a great graphic about situations it's OK to take your mask off and where they prefer we continue to wear masks.
RELATED: Here's what to know ahead of Friday's CDC meeting about the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine pause
Q: Do you think the J&J pause has deterred a 2/3 statewide vaccination goal by June 1?
A: I think we would probably be at different vaccination point if Johnson & Johnson hadn’t been pulled – how much more I’m not sure that I can comment. But I'm certain it had a little bit of an impact. I’m proud of all of North Carolina and the way we have been able to get vaccine to as many people as possible quickly. I think we should be really proud of that process here and the way that healthcare organizations have worked together to make sure that happens.
Q: Does the supply of doses in North Carolina outweigh the demand?
A: We are so fortunate in North Carolina right now to have plenty of vaccine. We’re not in the situation in February where we were scrambling to figure out how to get more so we can provide vaccine to more people.
Q: Do people still need to make an appointment with Novant or are walk-ins available?
A: At Novant we’re offering walk-in availability for vaccine at all of our vaccine sites at this point in time because we have seen the demand slow down to the point where we feel like we can offer that safely to patients. There aren't long lines of waiting that would put them at risk.
