MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Vaccinations resume in Shelby County on Thursday, after being canceled because of bad weather.
As of Thursday morning, more than 66,000 people in Shelby County have been fully vaccinated. That’s about 10 percent of the adult population and far from the 70 percent needed to reach herd immunity.
A map from the Tennessee Department of Health showed that metropolitan areas, like Memphis and Nashville, have the highest rates of vaccinations. Health officials said people in rural areas are the least likely to get vaccinated, which could make it hard to wipe out the virus.
It’s not just a Tennessee problem.
Many rural residents across the country are hesitant about the shot. Some say they’re worried about the side effects, but health officials say the benefits far outweight any risks.
Arkansas’ health officials are specifically targeting those in rural areas, saying about 55 percent of the population over the age of 65 have received one dose. They said that’s not enough to reach herd immunity.
A CBS poll recently found that Republicans are also less likely to get the vaccine when compared to Democrats. On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump encouraged everyone to get vaccinated.
In an interview on Fox News, he was asked by host Maria Bartiromo if he would recommend the vaccine and noted he, along with the first lady, received the vaccine a few months ago.
“I would,” he responded. “I would recommend it and I would recommend it to a lot of people that don’t want to get it, and a lot of those people voted for me, frankly.”
“But again, we have our freedoms and we have to live by them and I agree with that also. But it is a great vaccine. It is a safe vaccine and it is something that works,” Trump added.
It’s important to keep in mind that the pandemic is not over. In Shelby County, 143 new Covid-19 cases were reported. More than 1,000 new deaths were reported nationwide.