OREGON, USA (KGW) — As the omicron variant quickly spreads around all parts of the country, the COVID-19 case count is ticking back up in Oregon, and health leaders are preparing for a surge.
“The threat from omicron is very, very evident. While Oregon hasn’t experienced the same effects of it yet, we very much expect that to happen soon,” said Benjamin Clark, a professor at the University of Oregon’s School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management and researcher with the Institute for Policy Research and Engagement.
Clark’s latest pandemic survey and analysis, “COVID-19 Vaccinations in the Face of Omicron,” focuses on vaccine hesitancy and misinformation at this point in the pandemic.
Researchers discovered an increasing number of Oregonians are choosing to get the vaccine, that most know someone who had the virus and that 44% of those surveyed know someone who died. Yet, findings show a significant percentage of Oregonians continue to dismiss risks associated with COVID-19, which could risk the progress seen in combating the pandemic over the last year.
The survey shows the emergence of the delta variant led to a sharp increase in vaccinations this fall, though the divide between vaccination rates in urban and rural areas continues to be the biggest challenge in protecting all Oregonians from COVID-19.
“We are seeing a lot of the same patterns that we’ve seen for the last year in terms of why people are getting vaccinated or not,” Clark said. “But at the same time, what we are trying to do is understand how to change people’s minds or enable friends and families and doctors and public health officials around the state to find ways that they can nudge people in the right direction.
“Looking at the vaccination rates across the state, it’s very clear that the rural parts of the state are lagging pretty dramatically, sometimes 30 or more percentage points compared to the I-5 corridor. That is really going to continue to have a detrimental effect on those rural areas.”
He said although the number of people who say they will never get vaccinated has decreased since their research in the summer, those who are still opposed to vaccination are hardening their position.
This analysis also shows that people who were previously vaccine-hesitant changed their minds after speaking with friends, family and doctors about their concerns, rather than hearing from government and public health officials. It also found mandates for vaccinations, while not a “complete game-changer,” are very effective.
The survey results demonstrated that many Oregonians believe false or misleading claims related to COVID-19. Researchers found that speed of vaccine development is cited as a major concern for the unvaccinated, yet very few in Oregon seem to believe that steps were not skipped in developing vaccines.
Based on the findings, researchers recommend doubling down on outreach in rural parts of the state; continuing and expanding vaccination mandates; providing great enforcement mechanisms; and continuing the fight against disinformation.
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