Despite some pushback, efforts to combat COVID remain in the Wilmington area

Mike Forte will never get another COVID-19 shot.

The vice-chair of the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners said he personally experienced a severe, adverse reaction to his second COVID-19 vaccine shot.

"I never got a booster shot after that − I never will," he said. "Anybody within earshot of me, I'm gonna tell them there's no way I'm taking that shot again."

After a spirited debate, a torn Brunswick County Board of Commissioners reluctantly approved the purchase and administration of the updated COVID-19 vaccine booster shot that was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While some officials in the Wilmington area may be personally against the COVID-19 vaccine, healthcare officials say COVID-19 prevention will soon become as common as flu prevention, and county health departments will remain critical to ensuring everyone has access.

Why COVID boosters still matter

While the federal COVID-19 public health emergency declaration ended in May 2023, cases of and complications from COVID-19 are still being reported across the country.

COVID-19 is a quick-spreading disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. According to the CDC, over one million people in the United States have died from COVID-19 and some people have developed post-COVID complications known as “long COVID.”

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, “the fall vaccine is designed to match the changing virus.”

New Hanover County is offering COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots via walk-in appointments at the county’s health department.

“New Hanover County Health and Human Services and the Pandemic Operations Team remain committed to providing you with the most up to date protections against COVID-19,” the department’s website says.

The COVID-19 vaccine and booster is also available at the Pender County Health Department.

'It is a farce'

At the board’s Sept. 18 meeting, the county’s health services department requested $125,535 to purchase 1,060 doses of the most recent COVID-19 vaccine. The purchase includes doses for adults and children, and required approval by the board of commissioners, which largely spoke out against the vaccine.

Randy Thompson, chairman of the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners, said it was up to the body to provide residents access to the vaccine if residents choose to receive it.

Commissioner Pat Sykes spoke against the purchase, citing personal experiences with family members and friends who she believes had adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine leading to serious health complications.

“I don’t think we should be purchasing vaccines that are not mandated,” Sykes said. “I cannot support anything about COVID shots – at all – and will not, and I think the county should save their money.”

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Commissioner Marty Cooke shared similar personal experiences, attributing the COVID-19 vaccine as the cause of health complications in several cases involving friends.

“I’m a county commissioner, I’m not a medical professional,” Cooke said. “But from a personal standpoint… this has been forced down our throats and it is a farce.”

Cooke said he was “torn” between his personal opposition to the vaccine and the understanding that some county residents want the vaccine and need access.

Commissioner Frank Williams said while he has seen adverse reactions to the vaccine, he also has seen extreme cases of COVID-19 which may have been milder with the vaccine. Ultimately, he said, public health is a mandated responsibility of local governments.

“I do think even if I don’t want to take it, or if I do, I do think the county has a responsibility to make it available,” Williams said.

Forte agreed, adding: “It goes against everything I believe but we are obligated to provide this vaccine to those that do want it."

According to the Brunswick County Strategic Plan – which is reviewed annually by the county’s board of commissioners – maintaining a healthy and safe community is one of the county’s goals and focus areas. One of the county’s objectives under that focus area is “reducing negative outcomes related to preventable health issues.”

“The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination continue to outweigh any potential risks,” the staff report said. “Serious reactions after COVID-19 vaccination are rare.”

Thompson said Brunswick County vaccinated nearly 95,000 residents against COVID-19. The county saw 389 COVID-19 related deaths, Thompson added.

The FDA approved the updated vaccine, which is supposed to more closely target the current variants of COVID-19, in September. The CDC recommends everyone six months of age and older receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 illness this fall and winter.

Ultimately, the board approved the purchase by a vote of four to one, with Sykes voting against and Cooke “begrudgingly” voting in favor.

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The state of COVID-19 prevention

David Howard, Brunswick County’s health services director, said this purchase “kicks off a regular, annual availability of this COVID-19 vaccine,” similar to the annual availability of the flu vaccine, which is updated every year with a new formula to better treat current variations of the virus.

“We expect this to happen every school year,” Howard said.

The vaccine is covered by health insurance, but uninsured children and adults have access to the vaccine through Brunswick Health Services per the Vaccine for Children Program and Bridge Access Program. Howard added that the county health department does not expect a huge demand for the vaccine, but is working proactively to ensure that those who need the vaccine have access through the public health department.

“Our core mission really with immunizations across all our immunizations is to ensure the service, the availability of immunizations to everyone in the county,” Howard said.

Howard said the department expects to recoup “most, if not all” the upfront expense needed to purchase the vaccines.

Jamey Cross covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at jbcross@gannett.com or message her on X/Twitter @jameybcross.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Where to get the COVID-19 booster shot in Wilmington