PHOENIX — Two months after accepting a position as pandemic advisor to Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, Dr. Richard Carmona is focused on one thing: "saving lives and re-opening the state."
How does the FDA's decision to greenlight the Pfizer vaccine for kids five to 11 impact Arizona's fight against the pandemic?
"I think it's going to impact it significantly," Carmona explained. "We have about 645,000 kids five to 11 in the state. Being unvaccinated, they are at risk for getting sick and at risk for getting the disease."
What does the distribution of the Pfizer vaccine for kids five to 11 look like in Arizona?
"Every parent, every child who wants to get this vaccine can get it," Carmona said.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Health, nearly 60% of Arizonans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
What is the message to Arizona parents on the fence right now on whether they should vaccinate their children?
"I have several messages," Carmona said. "You already get your kids vaccinated with few exemptions."
Carmona points to the history of vaccinations in American public health for children in schools.
"[COVID-19]is just one more disease we add on to a list of things," said Carmona. "All my children have been vaccinated. My grandchildren when they come of age will get vaccinated."
Carmona says the science is clear that vaccines are arguably one of the most important advancements in the history of mankind.
America's history of vaccination mandates
President George Washington mandated the smallpox vaccination for all U.S. soldiers in the Revolutionary War in the late 1770s. In 1809, Massachusetts became the first state to require the general population to receive the vaccine. The City of Boston required all students to receive the vaccine.
By 1980, all 50 states required children to receive vaccinations in order to attend school.
List of diseases nearly eradicated by vaccines:
- Smallpox - 1798
- Diphtheria - 1923
- Tetanus - 1924
- Measles - 1963
- Mumps - 1967
- Rubella - 1969
Why is the COVID-19 vaccine different from past vaccinations?
"We are all struggling with why this is different since this is the way we've done business for decades," Carmona said. "Often it comes down to the right of individual versus the collective right of a society,"
Dr. Camona says the impact of not receiving the Covid-19 vaccine impacts all of society.
"Your decision may be contrary to the health and safety or security of the population that we live within the United States," said Dr. Carmona. "It's not right or wrong... but in this case, it is best to get vaccinated because it will protect you, your family and the community."
What are the expectations for Arizona this Winter with only 60% of the state vaccinated?
"We are concerned, especially with the snowbirds coming in, as well as friends and family gathering throughout the holiday season," said Dr. Carmona.
Political divisions detract from the mission to keep Arizonans safe
"Continuing to shout across the aisle at each other is not productive," Carmona argued. "As that goes on and people try to be heard, people are still sick and dying."
Ducey has stood firm against mandating the Covid-19 vaccine.
Carmona says he's asked Ducey to meet him in the middle.
"Okay Governor, can we come together you and I, and will you support me on the road telling people to get vaccinated and practice good mitigation strategies and will you help fund all these programs," said Dr. Carmona. "[Ducey] said absolutely.
But Ducey and the Federal government have clashed when it comes to how the state is spending Covid relief funds.
Arizona may have to repay the federal government millions of dollars if it doesn't fix two programs recently created to incentivize schools against implementing mask mandates, according to a letter from the federal Treasury Department.
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What about vaccine mandates?
"On this particular issue, I've decided I'm not going to get in the middle of this debate in a divided state or divided nation," said Carmona. "Right now my focus to is get all resources I can, which the Governor said he would provide us to get vaccines into arms."
Carmona acknowledges the divisiveness surrounding mandates.
"I can't solve that," said Dr. Carmona. "Simply continuing to argue over who is right or wrong doesn't make any sense to me know. We got to keep focused on the mission. The mission is saving lives."
A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that 34% of parents say they will vaccinate their child "right away," when the vaccine becomes available. Valley mother of six, Cherrie Lonkar says she will be one of those parents. Three of her adopted children live with a disability.
“During the pandemic so many of our vital services that we needed for our kids kind of disappeared because there wasn’t a safe way to have people come in and out of our homes,” said Lonkar.
She says the ability to now vaccinate her nine- and six-year-olds will not only protect her kids but also provide a sense of relief and return to normalcy.
“It’s a huge game-changer where we are not just in this survival mode and being fearful of man is the bottom going to fall out if one of the kids gets this," said Lonkar. "For my family, it is huge for getting us reconnected with our community, friends, with our therapists. All of that.”
COVID-19 Vaccine
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