Third place, Feature Picture Story - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vaccine Hesitancy"Kim Neace, a nurse practitioner, administers the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to Lisa Walker at the Long Branch Tavern in Laurel, Indiana, on June 7, 2021. After Walker's 15 minute observation period, she took a shot of tequila as part of the "shot for a shot" promotion by the Franklin County Health Department. Four out of five people in Franklin County are unvaccinated – the lowest vaccination rate in Greater Cincinnati and the fourth-lowest among Indiana's 92 counties. Poor, rural towns like Laurel, where the median income is about half that of the rest of the nation, are a big reason why. Fear, distrust and politics still dominate conversations about the vaccine among Laurel's 500 residents, complicating the job of public health officials, who worry the growing gap in America between communities with high and low vaccination rates will keep the pandemic going for years.
Third place, Feature Picture Story - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vaccine Hesitancy"Reid Health of Wayne County sets up a temporary vaccination clinic at White's Farm Flea Market on une 2, 2021 in Franklin County, Indiana. The team from Reid Health traveled south to set up clinics and boost vaccination numbers in Franklin County, which has the lowest vaccination rate in the region and fourth-lowest rate among Indiana's 92 counties.
Third place, Feature Picture Story - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vaccine Hesitancy"Sarah Naltner looks at her son Urban, 3, after getting her second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the White's Farm Flea Market on June 2, 2021 in Brookville, Indiana. The team from Reid Health worked with community leaders to identify popular locations in the county to set-up temporary vaccine clinics, including the weekly flea market and 4-H fairs.
Third place, Feature Picture Story - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vaccine Hesitancy"Jennifer Profitt, president of Franklin County's health board, speaks at an EMS meeting about vaccine hesitancy at the Franklin County EMS offices on June 16, 2021, in Brookville, Indiana. When Profitt talks to community members about the vaccine, she believes the best way to make a case for the vaccine is to avoid arguing and stick to the science. Her message is simple: Most vaccinated people experience mild side effects and appear to get a high degree of protection from COVID-19. Many of the paramedics questioned the need for vaccinations.
Third place, Feature Picture Story - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vaccine Hesitancy"Dr. Thomas Huth, vice president of medical affairs for Reid Health, and Jonathan White, vice president of White's Farm and pharmacist, look at a map of Franklin County, Indiana and discuss the challenges of accessibility for the rural parts of the county on June 2, 2021 in Brookville, Indiana. White started to feel the pandemic's lasting impact when he saw his patients' names in the obituaries. He is working with the Franklin County Health Department to bring the vaccine to people, like his weekly flea market. Accessibility and trust are two challenges Franklin County is battling as vaccine rates remain low.
Third place, Feature Picture Story - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vaccine Hesitancy"The Franklin County Health Department team packs up their vehicles in Brookville, Indiana, to travel to Laurel for the town's first temporary vaccination clinic on June 7, 2021. Laurel is a town of 500 people in the northwest corner of Franklin county.
Third place, Feature Picture Story - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vaccine Hesitancy"Angie Ruther, a registered nurse with the Franklin County Health Department, administers the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to Randel Blake at the Laurel Community Center on June 7, 2021.
Third place, Feature Picture Story - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vaccine Hesitancy"Deb Tibbetts, a registered nurse with the Franklin County Health Department, waits for patients at the temporary vaccination clinic at the Laurel Community Center on June 7, 2021. The team brought 99 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. They administered 15 shots throughout the evening.
Third place, Feature Picture Story - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vaccine Hesitancy"Jennifer Profitt, president of Franklin County's health board, calls bars in the area to try and locate the BrokeAss Bikers motorcycle club to offer them COVID-19 vaccines in Laurel, Indiana on June 7, 2021. Profitt raced against the clock to find people willing to take vaccinations before the doses expired because the vials had been opened.
Third place, Feature Picture Story - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vaccine Hesitancy"A boy plays basketball outside his home down the street from a temporary vaccination clinic at the Laurel Community Center on June 7, 2021 in Laurel, Indiana. Franklin County has 23,000 residents. Fear, distrust and politics still dominate conversations about the vaccine among Franklin County's residents. The skeptics say they worry about the speed of vaccine development and the uncertainty of long-term health effects. Some repeat disproven conspiracy theories involving infertility, aborted fetal tissue and plots against former President Donald Trump.
Third place, Feature Picture Story - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vaccine Hesitancy"Jennifer Profitt, president of Franklin County's health board, uses her cell phone as a flashlight after a squirrel chewed an electrical line and knocked out power at the temporary vaccination clinic at the Laurel Community Center on June 7, 2021 in Laurel, Indiana. Profitt wanted to keep the clinic running for another hour or two. They still had plenty of vaccine vials in the cooler, but they can’t give shots in the dark.
Third place, Feature Picture Story - Meg Vogel / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vaccine Hesitancy"Jennifer Profitt, president of Franklin County's health board, loads her car with signs from the temporary vaccination clinic at the Laurel Community Center on June 7, 2021 in Laurel, Indiana. After five hours, the team administered 15 shots. By the end of the evening, Profitt started to plan her next temporary clinic in another town.
