BACKSTORY IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY KEY BANK.

WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.

AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

(MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) JASON: WELCOME TO A SPECIAL COVID 19 VACCINE EDITION OF BACKSTORY.

THE VACCINE IS HERE AND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE ANXIOUS TO GET THAT FIRST SHOT IN THE ARM.

MEANWHILE OTHERS SAY THEY HAVE SOME SERIOUS RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE VACCINE AND SOME SAY THEY WONT GET THE SHOT AT ALL.

WE HAVE 3 GUESTS HERE TODAY WHO WILL BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF ANY OF THOSE GROUPS REALLY.

ERIC GODZINSKI IS THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH FOR THE LUCAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

DOCTOR ANTHONY ARMSTRONG IS A WELL KNOWN SPECIALIST IN THE TOLEDO AREA AND PRESIDENT IN OF THE OHIO STATE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND SEAN SAVAGE IS A FINANCIAL ADVISOR WHO FOUNDED THE VPROJECT THATS A COMMUNITY INITIATIVE TO EDUCATE MODIVATE AND VACCINATE OUR AREA.

THEIR GOAL IS TO VACCINATE 70% OF THE PEOPLE HERE.

THEY ARE ALSO RAISING MONEY TO SPREAD AWARENESS.

THANKS TO ALL 3 OF YOU FOR JOINING US ON BACKSTORY TODAY AND WE ARE GOING TO ASK SOME BLUNT QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT I THINK PEOPLE HAVE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES BUT MAYBE THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE PROFESSIONALS SO WE ARE GOING TO GET RIGHT TO IT.

WE ARE GOING TO START WITH YOU ERIC AND THE FIRST QUESTION ISN'T TOO DIFFICULT, THERE ARE PEOPLE IN LUCAS COUNTY RIGHT NOW WHO MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS.

THEY CAN GET THE VACCINE.

THEY HAVE GONE TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS WEBSITE AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SECURE AN APPOINTMENT.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT THE VACCINE, THEY JUST CANT GET IT YET AND MAYBE THEY HAVE MORE TECH SAVVY KIDS OR GRANDKIDS.

ERIC: I THINK THE BIG THING IS WE HAVE 145000 1B INDIVIDUALS AND IF EVERYONE WANTS TO GET THAT WE ARE ONLY GETTING SEVERAL THOUSAND DOSES IN EVERYDAY SO I THINK WHAT WE SAY IS PATIENCE.

THE SUPPLY IS NOWHERE NEAR THE DEMAND AND I THINK WHAT YOU ARE SEEING TOO IS THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GETTING VACCINATED, IT IS SHOWING THOSE WHO HAVE HAD SOME RESERVATIONS ABOUT GETTING VACCINATED THAT IT IS ALL NOT THAT BAD SO I CONTINUOUSLY HEAR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT YOU KNOW I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING TO GET IT BUT NOW I DO WANT TO GET IT BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE JUST DONT HAVE THOSE DOSES YET.

YOU KNOW WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WE ARE DEFINITLY GOING TO SEE MORE DOSES BEING ABLE TO BE UTILIZED IN LUCAS COUNTY AND IN OHIO AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES JASON: DR ARMSTRONG, ON VACCINE HESITENCY, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE PERSON OF COLOR WHO COME INTO YOUR OFFICE AND SAYS YOU KNOW, THIS THING WAS FAST TRACKED UNDER DONALD TRUMP IT WAS LESS THEN 50 YEARS AGO THAT THE TUSKEEGEE EXPIRIMENTS ENDED AND THE GOVERNMENT TOLD US WE COULD TRUST THEM THEN, THEY ARE TELLING US THE SAME THING NOW.

I KNOW COVID IS REAL BUT DOC I AM JUST NOT READY TO SIGN UP FOR THE SHOT YET.

DR ARMSTRONG: WELL THE FIRST HING IS YOU TRY TO GET A QUICK READ ON YOUR PATIENT AND WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM HISTORICALLY.

AS YOU SAID IF THEY ARE A PERSON OF COLOR IS IT BASED HISTORICALLY ON RACISM AND JUST A GENERAL OVERALL MISTRUST FOR OUR HEATHCARE SYSTEM.

THEN YOU NEED TO SIT DOWN AND NEED TO ACTIVELY LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS AND THEN IF YOU CAN ADDRESS EACH OF THOSE CONCERNS TO TRY TO MITIGATE ANY OF THE HESITENCIES THEY MAY HAVE FOR GETTING THE VACCINE TO TELLING THEM ABOUT HOW THE TRIAL WAS CONDUCTED.

THERE WAS A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WELL REPRESENTED WITH ETHNIC AND RACE GROUPS AND THAT THE ACTUAL LEAD DEVELOPER ON THE VACCINE FROM NIH WAS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN.

AND HOW THE SCIENCE, THE CORNERS ON THE SCIENCE AND THE SAFETY AND ETHICICY OF THE DRUG WAS NOT COMPROMISED AND SOME OF THE BEUROCRACY THAT FOLLOWS WITH THAT PAPERWORK IS.

SO TRYING TO GO DOWN ON A LIST OF THE CONCERNS THEY HAVE AND TELLING THEM SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE VACCINE ITSELF AND HOW IT WAS DEVOLPED I THINK IS THE WHAT IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO.

JASON: SEAN ARE THERE OTHER VACCINES HESITANT GROUPS IN OUR AREA AND WHAT IS VPROJECT DOING TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS?

SEAN; WELL WITHIN VPROJECT IT WAS FOUNDED ON THE CONCEPT OF PROVIDING FACTUAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE VACCINE THROUGH TRUSTED LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY SO WE DON'T KNOW IN EVERY SITUATION THE HESITENCY AND WHO IS HESITENT OUR JOB AS A COMMUNITY IS TO BRING EVERY BODY TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE WE ARE WORKING AS ONE.

TO PROVIDE FACTS.

I HAVE SAID THIS MANY TIMES.

IF SOMEONE JUST READS THE INFORMATION THEY START TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY OF THE VACCINES BUT IF SOMEONE WILL DRAW THE RIGHT CONCLUSION AND I LOOK AT MY OWN SITUATION AND AS I STUDY IT THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THE RISK OF NOT DOING IT FAR OUTWAYS THE RISK OF DOING IT SO AS SOON AS I AM ELIGEABLE, I WILL BE ROLLING UP MY SLEEVES AND GETTING THE VACCINE AND I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY DOING THAT.

SO WE ARE OFF TO A GOOD START IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I CONGRATULATE ERIC AND THE WORK HES DOING, DR ARMSTRONG, ALL THOSE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.

OUR COUNTY AND WOOD COUNTY.

LUCAS COUNTY AND WOOD COUNTY ARE DOING REALLY WELL RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE STATE AND THATS ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE VPROJECT IS TO BE A LEADING COMMUNITY IN THE STATE AND THE MIDWEST.

JASON: ERIC, PFISER ONE OF THE VACCINES AUTHORIZED FOR EMERGENCY USE IN THE US, WE KNOW THEY HAVE A FOOTPRINT JUST NORTH OF US IN MICHIGAN AND IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT THE OTHER VACCINE MODERNA IS BEING MADE IN SWITZERLAND.

NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MASSACHUSETS BUT AS YOU WELL KNOW, ALL OF THESE COMPANIES ARE MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS AND THE FDA HAS SAID IN THE PAST THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF THE MEDICATIONS WE TAKE IN THE US AND THE INGREDIENTS IN THOSE MEDICATIONS COME FROM OTHER CONTRIES.

MANY OF THAT COMING FROM CHINA.

CAN YOU SAY FOR SURE ERIC THAT YOU KNOW THAT THE STUFF IN THE VIAL GOING INTO THE ARMS OF LUCAS COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT YOU KNOW WHERE THATS COMING FROM AND IS ANY OF IT COMING FROM CHINA?

ERIC: WELL AGAIN UMM I GOT THE MODERNA VACCINE SO YOU KNOW IF I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS SAFE ON ALL FRONTS I WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN IT.

AS SOON AS MY FAMILY IS ABLE TO GET IT I AM GOING TO HAVE THEM BE VACCINATED AS WELL TOO SO I HAVE A TRUST IN IT BUT WE ALSO HAVE A CHECKS AND BALANCES.

YOU KNOW THERE IS QUALITY CONTROL.

I MEAN THERE IS A LOT THAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENS PEOPLE WILL NEVER SEE OR FULLY UNDERSTAND AND SOME THINGS THEY DO BEHIND THE SCENES ARE VERY SCIENTIFIC AND I SOMETIMES HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING A HANDLE ON EXACLTY WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND HOW THEY ARE DOING IT TO PROTECT US BUT WE KNOW THATS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES.

YOU KNOW I WILL SAY THIS, WHEN THIS IS ALL SAID AND DONE, AND I THINK SEAN IS A GREAT SOUNDING BOARD AFTER THIS IS ALL DONE AS WELL TOO WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK HOW DO WE MAKE SURE AMERICANS NEVER AND OHIO AND LUCAS COUNTY NEVER GET INTO THIS POSITION AGAIN WHETHER IT IS PREPARING FOR A PANDEMIC OR MAKING THE VACCINE HERE IN THE US.

THERE IS A LOT WE NEED TO DO LOCALLY IF YOU WOULD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED FOR THE NEXT ONE BECAUSE THE NEXT ONE IS COMING EVERYONE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND IT IS SAF4E AND AGAIN LIKE I SAID IF I DIDNT THINK IT WAS I WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN IT JASON: SO AGAIN I AM N9OT POINTING A FINGER AT YOU PERSONALLY.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE BEYOND OUR CONTROL BUT DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE VACCINE IS COMING FROM.

ERIC: YEAH I MEAN IT IS ACTUALLY, YOU CAN LOOK IT UP IN THE PAMPHLET WHATS IN IT, WHERE IT IS MADE.

I MEAN THAT IS ALL WRITTEN DOWN.

JASON: OK AND THE INGREDIENTS THEMSELVES.

ERIC: YES THEY ARE.

ALL THE INGREDIENTS ARE.

ITS CALLED THE DR HERE CAN PROBABLY TALK ABOUT IT MORE BUT THERE IS ALSO AN INSERT IN THERE THAT GIVES ALL THAT INFORMATION DR ARMSTRONG: AS THE COMMISSIONER SAID, YOU JUST HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FOR US AS THE PROVIDERS OR DISTRIBUTERS OF THE VACCINE TO BE ABLE TO KNOW WHERE TO GO TO FIND OUT THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO RELAY TO THE PATIENTS THAT WE ARE GIVING THE VACCINE TO.

AND THEN THE CONSISTENT MESSAGE SEAN WAS TALKING ABOUT TO DISPELL THE MYTH AND TO BE ABLE TO BE THAT TRUSTED VOICE AND THE MESSAGE AND THE MESSAGE ARE PROBABLY THE 2 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS BECAUSE IF THEY ARE SITTING IN FRONT OF US AND RESPECT OUR OPINION AND WE TELL THEM WE HAVE DONE THE RESEARCH AND LEG WORK WE THINK ITS SAFE, WE HAVE TAKEN IT AS FIRST LINE EMERGENCY MEDICINE PEOPLE, NURSES, ETC, ETC.

SO WE FEEL IT IS SAFE, WE CERTANLY THINK IT IS SAFE FOR YOU AND IT IS IN ALL OUR BEST INTEREST TO GET THAT VACCINE.

JASON: ERIC VPROJECTS GOAL IS TO GET AT LEAST 70% OF OUR POPULATION VACCINATED.

BASED ON THE DATA THAT YOU HAVE NOW AND THE AMOUNT OF VACCINE COMING IN FROM THE GOVERMENT, IF 70% OF THE PEOPLE SAID OK I WILL DO IT, WHEN WILL WE REACH THAT 70%?

A BALL PARK, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT?

FALL?

ERIC: I WOULD, AGAIN I KEEP SAYING THIS, I DONT HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL, I CAN ONLY SPECULATE AND YOIU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE SPECULATIONS COME TO FRUITION SOMETIMES THEY DONT.

I WOULD SERIOUSLY SUGGEST THAT BY AUGUST WE WOULD HAVE A PROPONDERANCE OF THAT 70% DONE.

WE ARE WAITING FOR J&J TO COME ONLINE WITH A VACCINE.

THERE IS A OF ALL THE ONES COMING ONLINE HERE SOON PFIZER AND MODERNA ARE ALSO INCREASING THEIR SUPPLY TO US IN JUNE AND JULY I THINK DECEMBER I READ THIS, BOTH OF THEM ARE SUPPOSED TO PROBABLY UP THEIE DOSES BY 100,000,000 SO AGAIN THATS WHAT WE ARE WAITING FOR, FOR THAT PRODUCTION TO COME ONLINE FOR US TO GET THE VACCINE AND GET IT IN THOSE ARMS AND THE VPROJECT IS REALLY A GREAT RESOURCE TO GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT AND DRILLING DOWN INTO EACH ONE OF THE SILOS WE HAVE OF ORGANIZATIONS WHETHER IT IS JEEP OR LIBBEY OR EVEN SOME MOM AND POP RESTAURANT THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

WHATS IN THE VACCINE, IS IT SAFE?

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIDE EFFECTS WHATEVER IT IS.

EACH ONE OF THOSE ENTITIES WE CAN DRILL DOWN IN THERE AND GET MORE PEOPLE VACCINATED AND REACH THAT 70% HERD IMUNITY JASON: SEAN ERIC MENTIONED THE J AND J VACCINE THAT SHOULD BE COMMING SOON.

WE KNOW THAT IT ISNT AS EFFECTIVE AS THE OTHER VACCINES BUT THIS ONLY REQUIRES ONE DOSE.

YOU DONT NEED THAT SECOND SHOT, THE BOOSTER.

HOW CONCERNED SHOULD PATIENTS BE ABOUT WHO IS GETTING WHAT SHOT AND HAVE YOU HEARD RUMBLINGS OF THAT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE ARE HOLDING OUT FOR ONE OVER THE OTHER?

SEAN: NO I HAVENT REALLY HEARD IT.

IM CERTAINLY THE LEAST QUALIFIED TO TALK ABOUT THE SCIENCE REGARDING VACCINES.

I AM A FINANCIAL GUY.

I DID VERY POORLY IN SCIENCE IN SCHOOL SO I WILL DEFER TO THEM.

BUT I BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT ANYTHING GETTING APPROVED BY THE SYSTEM AS SOMETHING SAFE AND EFFECTIVE FOR OUR PEOPLE I BELIEVE IN IT.

I THINK ABOUT YOUR PRIOR QUESTION.

EVERYDAY WE PUT FOOD AND MEDICINES INTO OUR BODY.

EVERYBODY IN THE COUNTRY AND THERE IS A TRUST FACTOR WHETHER YOUR EATING FROM A RESTAURANT OR PICKING UP FOOD OR PICKING UP GROCERIES AT A GROCERY STORE.

WHETHER YOUR TAKING A TYLENOL.

THERE IS A TRUST FACTOR THAT OUR SYSTEM WORKS AND I HAVE A 100% FAITH AND CONFIDENCE THAT THE SYSTEM WORKED.

I THINK ANYTHING ELSE IS A DISTRACTION TO THE PROCESS.

WE HAVE A GLOBAL PANDEMIC THAT IN OUR COUNTRY THAT HAS KILLED OVER 500000 PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY.

THEY ARE SAYING 600000 OVER THE NEXT 10 OR 12 WEEKS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO COME TO AN END AND WE HAVE THE SOLUTION.

THE SOLUTION IS HERE SO IT IS OUR JOB AS AMERICANS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS EDUCATED SO THEY MAKE THE DESICIONS TO TAKE THE SOLUTION SO WE CAN MOVE ON AS A SOCIETY OTHERWISE WE WILL BE IN THIS MUCK INDEFINITLY.

JASON: AND SEAN I GUESS I ASKED THE QUESTION BECAUSE I KNOW VPROJECT IS GOING AROUND TALKING TO PEOPLE BUT YOU ARE SAYING IN THE COMMUNITY PEOPOLE ARENT REAL CONCERNED ABOUT WHICH VACCINE THEY ARE GETTING?

I HAVE NOT HEARD, I HAVE NOT RECIEVED ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

JASON: OK WELL I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT VPROJECT, HOW PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED AND WE ARE ALSO GOING TO TALK ABOUT AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS BROUGHT TO LIFE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN EASIER FOR SOME TO IGNORE IN THE PAST.

WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT ALL THAT AFTER THE BREAK.

BUT NOW FOR THOSE OF YOU AT HOME GRAB YOUR CELL PHONE, GET READY TO TAKE A PHOTO BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO PUT SOME RESOURCES ON THE SCREEN SOME WEBSITES FOR YOU TO GO TO FOR MORE INFORMATION AND WE WILL BE BACK WITH MORE BACKSTORY AFTER THE BREAK.

(MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) (MUSIC) JASON: WELCOME BACK TO BACKSTORY.

WE ARE HERE WITH ERIC ZGOZINSKI THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH FOR THE LUCAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, DR ANTHONY ARMSTRONG THE PRESIDENT OF THE OHIO STATE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND SEAN SAVAGE WITH THE VPROJECT TALKING ABOUT THE COVID VACCINEVACCINE ADDRESSING SOME OF THE QUESTIOS AND CONCERNS PEOPLE HAVE AND ERIC WE WERE TALKING ABOUT J AND J.

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK THAT ITS NOT QUITE AS EFFECTIVE AS THE MODERNA PFIZER BUT YOU WANTED TO WEIGH IN ON THAT ERIC: YEAH THERE IS A BIT OF A TRADEOFF.

WITH MODERNA PFIZER ITS A 2 SHOT SERIES SO ITS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED AND A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BARRIER FOR SOME MAYBE.

WE ARE HEARING BUT IT IS IN THE MID 90S EFFECTIVE BUT THE J AND J IS A ONE SHOT BUT IS ONLY A MID 60S PERCENT EFFECTIVE.

WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN?

IF WE COMPARE THAT TO OUR YEARLY FLU SHOT, OUR YEARLY FLU SHOT IS AROUND MID 40S PERCENT EFFECTIVE SO IT IS ACTUALLY BETTER THAN THE FLU SHOT AND WE REALLY DO WELL WHEN PEOPLE GET THE FLU SHOT TO BE ABLE TO AGAIN COMBAT FLU DURING A TYPICAL FLU SEASON SO I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK BECAUSE ITS LOWER THERE IS SOEMTHING WRONG WITH IT, LOWER EFFECTIVNESS THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT.

IT IS JUST A LITTLE DIFFETRENT.

IT WILL STILL HELP YOU.

IT IS STILL GOING TO HELP THE COMMUNITY.

IT WILL MAKE SURE AGAIN WE REALLY STEM THE TIDE OF COVID.

JASON: DR ARMSTRONG WE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO SHOULD GET THE VACCINE.

WHO SHOULDN'T?

DR ARMSTRONG: THOSE WHO HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ALLERGIES TO PREVIOUS VACCINES IN PARTICULAR, SEVERE REACTIONS SUCH AS ANAPHALAXIS AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT DID HAVE ANAPHALAXIS REACTIONS, IT IS A VERY SMALL NUMBER PER MILLION DOESES GIVEN, UMMM ABOUT 2/3 OF THEM HAD HISTORIES OF MULTIPLE SEVERE ANAPHALACTIC REACTIONS TO PREVIOUS MEDICATIONS AND/OR VACCINES AND OTHER THAN THAT THERE MAY BE SOME SPECIFIC CONDITIONS BASED ON THE CO-MORBIDITIES AND SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS TALK TO YOUR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN AND/OR YOUR SPECIALIST AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU SHOULD RECIEVE THE VACCINE.

JASON: OK AND ALL OF YOU OR ANY OF YOU CAN TAKE THIS ONE.

SO THE CDC STATES THAT ON THEIR WEBSITE OFFICIALLY THEY DONT KNOW HOW LONG IMMUNITY WILL LAST FROM THE VACCINE.

THEY SAY PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECIEVED COVID HAVE SOME NATURAL IMMUNITY FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS.

UMM IF I AM ONE OF THE FINAL GROUPS TO GET VACCINATED AND SAY DR ARMSTRONG WAS PART OF GROUP ONE OR TWO BECAUSE YOUR A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL, IS THERE CONCERN ABOUT BY THE TIME I GET VACCINATED, PEOPLE FROM GROUP ONE AND TWO WILL NO LONGER HAVE IMMUNITY BY THE TIME I GET VACCINATED, PEOPLE FROM GROUP ONE AND TWO WILL NO LONGER HAVE IMMUNITY AND THE CYCLE JUST REPEATS ITSELF.

DR. ARMSTRONG: WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY AND THE CYCLE JUST REPEATS ITSELF.

DR. ARMSTRONG: WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS THAT WE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE AND SO WE HAVE A 20-30 YEAR HISTORY OF UNDERSTANDING CORONOVIRUSES AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO RAPIIDLY DEVELOP THE VACCINE BUT AGAIN WE DONT KNOW IN THE SHORT AND LONGTERM WHETHER OR NOT, LIKE WITH H1N1 WHERE THERE IS MUTATIONS AND VATRIENTS, DIFFERENT STRAINS HOW ACTIVE THIS VACCINE OR ANY OF THE VACCINES WITH FDA APPROVAL ARE GOING TO BE OR FOR HOW LONG.

SO ITS GOING TO BE LITERALLY A WORK IN PROGRESS AND MAYBE THIS TIME NEXT YEAR IT WILL BE A TOTAL DIFFERENT VACCINE OR MAYBE IT WILL BE A BOOSTER WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT INFO YET BUT WE ARE TRYING TO GATHER THOSE DATA POIJNTS AS TIME GOES ON.

ERIC: PLAYING OFF THAT A LITTLE HERE, AGAIN THIS IS ON NEW TO US RELATIVE TO THE VACCINE, TO THIS CORONAVIRUS AND HOW WE ARE, SOMETHIMES ITS LIKE BUILDING A PLANE AS WE ARE FLYING WHICH IS OK BECAUSE THATS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

THE RESEARCH IS NOT THERE YET I MEAN I JUST READ A RESEARCH PAPER OVER THE WEEKEND WHERE THEY THINK PFIZER WAS SAYING WE COULD LOOK AT HAVING YEARS OF IMMUNITY WITH THAT VACCINE BUT THEN THERE ARE OTHER PAPERS THAT SAY WELL MAYBE NOT SO WE JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RESEARCH, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE AND IF YOU ARE A SCIENCE GEEK LIKE ME THIS IS FASINATING HOW IT IS PANNING OUT BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS EACH TIME WE SEE MORE SCIENCE ADDED TO THE ISSUE WE ARE GETTING A BETTER HANDLE ON WHAT A YEAR AGO WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO.

NOW TAKE A LOOK AT US.

TO THE TREATMENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE SO AGAIN THE SCIENCE IS GOING TO DRIVE US JASON: DR. ARMSTRONG MENTIONED THE NEW VARIENTS.

DOES THAT KEEP YOU GUYS UP AT NIGHT AND HOW CONCERNED SHOULD WE BE ABOUT THAT?

ERIC: ANYTHING WITH COVID KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT WHETHER ITS THE AMOUNT OF VACCINE WE ARE GETTING IN, ARE WAE GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT?

BUT THE VARIENTS ARE ANOTHER THING BECAUSE \ THEY JUST ADD TO THE ISSUES WE HAVE TO COMBAT AND WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE THE THINGS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US TO REALLY WORK ON.

THOSE ISSUES FIRST.

BUT UNDERSTAND THAT THESE VARIENTS ARE GOING TO COME.

WE JUST AGAIN HAVE TO REALLY RELY ON OUR SCIENCE ON OUR SURVELIENCE PROGRAM, ON THE EPIDEMIOLOGY BEHIND THIS TO MAKE SURE WE STAY IN FRONT OF IT.

WE ARE PLAYING BEHIND THE GAME IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR WE ARE PLAYING A LITTLE IN FRONT OF IT BUT I LIKE TO SEE US OUT FURTHER BUT AGAIN VARIENTS ARE SOMETHING WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTEND WITH BUT AGAIN THE SCIENCE IS THERE LIKE DOC SAID.

THERE COULD BE A BOOSTER NEXT YEAR, MAY BE A WHOLE NEW VACCINE, WE MIGHT NOT NEED ONE.

WHATEVER IT IS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ROLL THAT OUT TO THE PUBLIUC THE BEST WE CAN TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS GETTING VACCINATED THE RIGHT WAY.

JASON: SEAN YOU TOLD THE BLADE THAT THE VPROJECT HAS A GOAL TO RAISE $750,000 TO SPREAD AWARNESS.

HOW ARE YOU GUYS SPENDING THAT MONEY?

SEAN: GREAT QUESTION.SO I AM GOING TO FEED ON THE LAST ONE THOUGH.

WHAT SCARES SEAN SAVAGE IS RIGHT NOW I HAVE NO IMMUNITY TO THIS THING OK.

I HAVE NOT RECIEVED ANY VACCINATION SHOT.

THAT SCARES ME.

I CAN'T WAIT TILL I CAN GET A VACCINE IN MY ARM AND I WILL FEEL MUCH MOR COMFORTABLE.

I KNOW THAT SCIENCE WIL DEVELOP OVER TIME AND WE WILL HAVE TO ADJUST BUT US WALKING AROUND NOW THAT HAVE NOT RECIEVED A VACCINE IM ENVIOUS OF DR. ARMSTRONG AND ERIC BECAUSE I KNOW THEY ALREADY HAVE THEIRS SO I CANT WAIT TILL I CAN JOIN THEM.

REGARDING FUNDING, WE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE VPROJECT IDENTIFIED 5 MAJOR PRIORITIES.

ONE IS THE MISC CATEGORY BUT EXPENDITURES ARE GOING TO GO TO SUPPORT TRANSPROTATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION SO YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THESE FOLKS AT HOME WHO WANT TO BE VACCINATED BUT THEY CAN'T GET TO A VACCINATION SITE.

WE ARE COMMITTING RESOURCES TO THAT.

WE ARE ALSO COMMITTING RESOURCES TO HELP EXPAND THE 211 SYSTEM UNITED WAY HAS THEY ARE OVERWHELMED NOW WITH PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY AT HOME.

YOUR AT RISK POPULATION YOU KNOW MANY OF WHOM ARE IN AREAS THAT THEY NEED THE HELP AND SUPPORT.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE ECONOMICS SO WE ARE GOING TO BE INVESTING AND HELPING THEM BUILD OUT THAT CALL CENTER AND ALSO WE REALLY WANT TO GET TO THE POINT WE LOOK AT BEST PRACTICES AROUND THE COUNTRY, IF YOU LOOK AT FOR EXAMPLE WEST VIRGINIA.

THEY ARE NOT WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO CALL THEM OR EVEN SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS ON ONLINE.

THEY ARE REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

THEY ARE REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE PERSONALLY.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AS PART OF THE VPROJECT.

WE ALSO ARE GOING TO BE INVESTING WE ARE INVESTING IN MARKETING SO WE NEED TO GET THE COMMINICATION OUT WE ARE GOING TO BE SPENDING MONEY THERE.

FLYERS, TV, YOULL SEE BILLBOARDS.

AND THEN YOULL ALSO SEE WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING THESE PINS.

WE JUST PUT THE ORDER IN FOR THE FIRST ORDER SO SOMEONE UPON THE SECOND VACCINE WILL BE ABLE TO GET A PIN OR BRACELET THEIR CHOICE THAT WILL BE BRANDED TO THE VPROJECT.

AND WE THINK IT WILL BE KIND OF A SOMETHING PEOPLE CAN WEAR WITH COMMUNITY PRIDE IT WILL HAVE NW OHIO ON THERE AS WELL.

SO WE ARE PRETTY PSYCHED ABOUT WHAT THAT WILL DO IN TERMS OF BUILDING THE BRAND OF GETTING VACCINATED WHICH WE THINIK IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL.

JASON: SEAN LET ME ASK RELLY QUICKLY, PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HELP.

THEY HEAR ABOUT VPROJECT AND THINK THIS IS A GOOD CAUSE I WANT TO GET INVOLVED.

WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW?

SEAN: YEAH IF THEY GO TO VPROJECT.ORG.

WE ARE GOING TO NEED A ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS AND SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMITTEES.

WE BUILT THOSE OUT.

WE ARE INVITING ANYBODY IN THAT WANTS TO BE A PART OF THIS.

VPROJECT.ORG IS OUR LANDING SPOT.

IT IS CRITICAL THEY GO THERE.

WE ARE PLANNING A V DAY WEEKEND WHICH IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE EARLY MAY WHEN THE VACCINE IS READILLY AVAILABLE WHERE IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY MOBILIZING ON A WEEKEND GOING OUT DOOR TO DOOR DOVETAILING WITH THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY TO GO PUT THESE POP UP TENTS OUT TO BE ABLE TO VACCINATE FOLKS.

WE ARE LOOKING AND AIMING FOR A WEEKEND WE ARE ALL GOING TO PUT A LOT OF ENERGY AROUND THAT.

WE WILL HELP US MOVE TOWARDS THAT COMMUNITY EVEN QUICKER.

JASON: THANK YOU DR. ARMSTRONG I WANT TO ASK YOU HERE AT THE END I MEAN WE COULD SPEND HOURS ON THIS THIS PANDEMIC HAS MADE IT EVEN MORE EVIDENT THE RACIAL DISPARITIES WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTHCARE.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW IT HAS BROUGHT THAT TO LIGHT AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO FIX THAT.

DR. aRMSTRONG: WELL A LOT OF THESE IS YOU KNOW WE, I ALLUDED TO EARLIER BASED ON HISTORICAL FACTORS AND UNFORTUNATLY THE PANDEMIC SHOWED NOT JUST THE STATE OF OHIO BUT JUST NATIONALLY HOW MUCH MORE DISPROPORTIONATE ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF HEALTH OUTCOMES THAT THIS VIRUS HAS BEEN ON PEOPLE OF COLOR AND SO THERE WAS AN EARLY RECOGNITION OF THIS BY GOVERNOR DEWINE WHO ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER A MINORITY HEALTH STRIKEFORCE TO LOOK AT ACTIONABLE THINGS WE COULD DO TO ADDRESS THOSE DISPARITIES AND PEOPLE OF COLOR IN OHIO SO IN SHORT WE CAME UP WITH A 35 PAGE BLUEPRINT WITH 35 RECCOMENDATIONS IN LARGE BUCKETS.

ONE OF THEM WAS RECOGNIZING RACISM AS A HEALTHCARE CRISIS AND OTHER THINGS WE ARE LOOKING AT HEALTH POLICY THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS.

IN OTHER WORDS, POLICIES WE MAKE IN OUR SYSTEMS, WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION LEGISLATIVELY, SOCIETAL, ISSUES, HOW THEY MAY, EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT INTENT, IMPLICIT OR EXPLICIT BIAS HOW IT MAY FURTHER OPRESS PEOPLE OF COLOR AND HOW MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AND SAY WELL LOOK AT THESE HEALTHCARE POLICIES TO BE ABLE TO CLOSE UP SOME OF THOSE DISPARITIES AND INEQUITIES SO AND THEN IT GOES THOUGH FROM SOUPS TO NUTS OBVIOUSLY I AM NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF IT BUT EVERYTHING FROM PATIENT EDUCATION, TRANSPORTATION, FAIR HOUSING CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.

ITS A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES IN THE STATE OF OHIO.

JASON: DR.

I WISH WE HAD MORE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD, ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.

YOUR, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PATIENTS WHO ARE STILL NOT SURE WHAT TO TO IF THEY WANT TO TAKE THE VACCINE OR NOT?

DR ARMSTRONG: THE DOWNSIDE IS YOU MAY POSSIBLY END UP IN THE HOSPITAL ON A VENTALATOR IN THE ICU POSSIBLY NOT MAKE IT HOME.

AND THE SIDE EFFECT PROFILE IS SO MINIMAL AND SELF LIMITTED THAT IT IS AGAIN IN EVERYBODYS BEST INTEREST NOT JUST YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF, YOU OWE IT TO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, YOUR CO-WORKERS.

JASON: ALRIGHT WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH, ERIC ZGOZINSKI AND ANTHONY ARMSTRONG AND SEAN SAVAGE.

THATS IT FOR THIS EDITION OF BACKSTORY.

IM JASON HIBBS.

WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

ANNOUNCER: BACKSTORY IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY KEY BANK.

WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.

AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU!

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