Tribal nations lead in vaccination rates, but struggle with getting younger people vaccinated
Jun. 20—But they struggle with getting younger people vaccinated
PESHAWBESTOWN — For tribal elder, Al Pedwaydon, of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, there was no hesitation when he had an opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
He received both doses through the tribe's health clinic in December 2020 and was among the first to be vaccinated when the tribe received its first shipment of vaccine.
"It was an amazing experience," said the 76-year-old veteran, adding that wanted the shots so he could help protect his loved ones and the community. "I want to be a good human being."
Pedwaydon recalls a time growing up when the Polio virus was a nationwide concern. He said he remembers having to be cautious of certain bodies of water when he went swimming, because of the virus. That that lived experience makes him grateful for the COVID vaccine today.
"We (the tribe) really prioritized our elders, because we need to protect our sacred, they are our knowledge keepers and language speakers," said Mari Raphael, registered nurse for the tribe's health clinic.
While many elders like Pedwaydon have been vaccinated, data shows there is a lag in younger tribal citizens getting shots. According to numbers published by GTB's Health Administrator, Dr. Soumit Pendhaker, 72 percent of the tribe's elders (ages 55 and older) living within the six-county service area have been vaccinated, but only 46 percent of the general population (ages 16 and older) have been.
Raphael said when vaccines became available to the tribe through Indian Health Services (IHS), elders 'stepped up' in getting vaccinated. She believes their eagerness is because of their firsthand experiences with epidemics within the past century, a factor that helped drive vaccination rates much higher in that age group.
She also said there is a lot of misinformation floating around about the COVID-19 vaccines.
"They (elders) really understand that vaccines prevent diseases and prevent disability and death caused by those diseases, because they've seen it firsthand," she said
CDC data shows that 43 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIAN) nationally have received at least one vaccine dose, and 36.2 percent are fully vaccinated. While data shows that AIAN are being vaccinated at a higher rate than any other group in the United States, it is not reflective of tribal nation's struggle to get younger generations vaccinated, a trend seen nationwide according to the CDC's data.
Despite the overall trend of younger people are getting vaccinated at a slower rate than their older counterparts, data from Michigan's COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard shows more 16- to 19-year-olds are being inoculated than 20- to 29-year-olds.
That holds true in Grand Traverse County, where 58 percent of those 16-19 have had at least one dose, compared to 47 percent in the 20-29 group. In Leelanau County rates are 63 percent for the younger group and 55 percent for those 20-29; in Benzie 46 percent and 41 percent; in Kalkaska 25 percent and 24 percent; and in Antrim County 39 percent and 36 percent.
Many of those in the 20-29 age group work in convenience stores, restaurants and bars where they come into contact with large numbers of people.
Nationwide experts have pointed to vaccine hesitancy as a roadblock in the path to herd immunity.
Raphael said public health officials believe reaching a 70 to 80 percent vaccination rate would help stop the virus from spreading person to person. The lower vaccination rate among the younger people may have bigger consequences for the tribal community.
She said at this point if people are not getting the vaccine for their own self and own reasons, the younger generations need to step up to protect those around them.
"It's about being a good ancestor and doing everything you can do to look to the future and trying to make it a better life for the next seven generations," Raphael said.
Jeannine Taylor, public information officer for District Health Department #10, said the department is making it as easy and convenient as possible to reach people of all ages by hosting pop-up clinics out in the community, running longer hours and accepting walk-ins at all clinics.
"It is a challenge to reach certain demographics," Taylor said. "The vaccine is readily available and we're taking it out into the community."
About 18 percent of unvaccinated people who responded to a survey conducted by DHD #10 said that COVID is no big deal, 58 percent are worried about side effects from the vaccine and 60 percent think development of the vaccine was too quick.
People were asked what their biggest concerns are about getting the vaccine, as well as about concerns they've heard voiced by other people in the community.
Of those respondents who were vaccinated, 61 percent said they heard others say COVID is no big deal, 69 percent said they heard people are worried about side effects and 70 percent heard vaccine development was too quick.
When survey respondents were asked what would make them more likely to get the vaccine, 66 percent said "nothing," while 34 percent said further research, a requirement for employment or other activities and convenience.
The survey was distributed at the beginning of May, when new vaccination numbers began to slow across the 10 counties covered by DHD #10. It aims to determine why people are hesitant to get the vaccine and to ultimately increase vaccination rates.
A total of 349 people responded, with about two-thirds of them having already received the vaccine.
DHD #10 covers Kalkaska, Crawford, Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Mason, Lake, Oceana, Newaygo and Mecosta counties, where the Michigan COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard shows that about 50 percent of people have received at least one dose.
That's compared to about 55 percent across the state.
Sierra Clark's reporting is made made possible by a partnership between the Traverse City Record-Eagle and Report for America. Go to www.record-eagle.com/RFA to support this and other articles by RFA reporters in the Record-Eagle newsroom.
Sierra Clark's reporting is made made possible by a partnership between the Traverse City Record-Eagle and Report for America. Go to www.record-eagle.com/RFA to support this and other articles by RFA reporters in the Record-Eagle newsroom.
