New Hampshire passed a tragic milestone in the pandemic this week, registering the thousandth death in the state of COVID-19. But there was also good news. On Tuesday, the state began what is likely to be a months-long campaign to vaccinate people 65 and older, as well as younger people with serious medical conditions – what it refers to as “Phase 1B” of its launch.
NHPR’s Todd Bookman spoke with All things considered host Emily Quirk to discuss the current stage of the pandemic and a new challenge emerging in the past few days: getting second doses of the vaccine in a timely manner.
(Editor’s note: the following transcript has been edited slightly for clarity)
Emily Quirk: Help us put 1,000 deaths in perspective. In addition to the number of humans, how does that number compare to other causes of death in New Hampshire?
Todd Bookman: The state records about 12,000 resident deaths each year, with the leading causes of death being cancer and heart disease. But in 2020, COVID-19 also became a major cause.
So, just to put that number of 1,000 deaths in perspective, in 2019, a year before the emergence of COVID, about 300 residents died of a heart attack, less than 100 died in traffic accidents and there were about 500 deaths from Alzheimer’s disease .
The flu, which some people also compared to COVID-19 in the early stages of the pandemic, killed 31 people in 2019. So, more than 1,000 deaths from COVID-19 in less than a year, that surpasses all of those numbers. The risk of coronavirus, especially for older Granite Staters, is quite clear.
EQ: Well, those older Granite Staters – people aged 65 and over – are now starting to get their vaccinations, along with residents who have serious medical problems. How was the launch of this process?
TB: It worked for some. It was not for others.
(Click here to read the complete NHPR guide for vaccine distribution)
The application process for scheduling vaccines requires filling out two different forms online: a state website and then the CDC form, also known as VAMS. We have heard many people say that the various steps are confusing or that they are not receiving the appropriate confirmation emails, which confirms the numbers.
More than 200,000 completed the first stage, but only about 120,000 people were able to schedule their first doses. Therefore, tens of thousands of people starting, but not completing the process, a very considerable gap.
EQ: For those who managed to complete the process, the first doses were given on Tuesday. We saw pictures of some very happy people taking pictures in their cars, the National Guard coordinating the process …
TB: Yes, it seems, those who are receiving appointments and arriving at the site are not experiencing serious delays. At the moment, there are about a dozen sites operating across the state, and those sites have sort of been tested in recent weeks, as this is where the first respondents went to get their doses.
So now that more people are eligible, including those 65 and older, the system of administering vaccines right in your car seems to be going well.
EQ: But the system for coordinating that second shot … not so much. What’s new about people who make an appointment for the second dose of the vaccine?
TB: This problem only came about in the last day or two. After receiving the first dose, people need to reconnect to the system to make an appointment for a second dose.
NHPR heard from a large number of people who say the system has been full for weeks.
“When I read the dates, I was a little shocked because the earliest I got was 57 days earlier,” said Deborah Woodward of North Hampton.
EQ: So 57 days between the first and the second dose: this is much more than we heard about the recommended interval between these doses, right?
TB: Right, and that worries a lot of people. The Pfizer version of the vaccine was designed to be administered at least 21 days apart, and the Modern version at 28 days apart. Those are the minimums. That is how these vaccines were tested and released for use.
And according to the CDC, getting as close to this recommended interval is ideal. But that is not exactly what we are hearing from state officials. This week, Governor Chris Sununu was asked about the long interval between doses, and he basically said, don’t worry:
“It does not affect the effectiveness in terms of when you receive the second dose,” said Sununu. “The first dose remains very effective and you receive the second dose. It is a very long period of time, it seems, that can be stretched a little. “
But the CDC website says the window between doses 1 and 2 should not extend for more than 42 days, or 6 weeks. After that, pharmaceutical companies have no data on the effectiveness of vaccines.
This left many people worried and frustrated with scheduling a second dose.
EQ: So, what is the state doing about it?
TB: Nothing has been formalized yet, but the state warns that it will open new hours for those who receive the second dose. At the moment, the authorities say go ahead and book this second appointment in the system, even if it is more than 6 weeks away, and the state will somehow contact or reschedule people at some point with previous appointments. We just don’t know when this process can begin.
And it raises the question of why the system has not yet been designed to do both queries at the same time.