By Taylor Boyd
As the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine nears, members of the Patrick County Board of Supervisors and the Patrick County School Board are split on whether to take the vaccine once it becomes available.
Board of Supervisors
Dr. Clyde DeLoach, vice chairman, and of the Blue Ridge District, said he will take the vaccine “whenever I come up on the list.” DeLoach said his wife has already received her vaccine. “I’m just waiting for my turn, and I think it’s worth getting.”
He said that while everyone has to make their own decision, he hopes that many will decide to get take the vaccine. Regardless, “we still need to keep wearing our masks and practice social distancing. If you don’t get it especially.”
Jane Fulk, of the Dan River District, said she does not plan to take the vaccine at this time.
“I don’t take any vaccines. I don’t take the flu shot. I don’t take anything. I’ve only taken one flu shot in 50 years. It’s just a quirk of my own,” she said, adding she is leery about the vaccine.
“Of course, I know that the virus is terrible and that people are dying from it, which makes me look at it a little harder,” she said. “I need to see how it affects people before I can feel comfortable with it. I’m not saying I will not take it, but at this moment I’m not going to.
“I’m just going to watch it. I’ll think about it. I know it is a terrible thing to have and I’ll think about it. Probably say a few prayers over it, but I’m not quite ready in my mind at this moment to take it,” Fulk said.
Denise Stirewalt, of the Peters Creek District, said she does not plan to take the vaccine for religious reasons. “I walk in faith,” she said, adding she takes the precautions to prevent spreading the virus, like social distancing and hand washing.
“I guess I will because I’m 66 going on 67, and probably the side effects from it will be less dangerous than the COVID,” Clayton Kendrick, of the Mayo River District, said. “It’s been so many older people that passed away from it.”
Kendrick said he is cautious about the vaccine because of “the fast pace in which the vaccine came out and flew through the FDA (Food and Drug Administration),” but would encourage people to take it.
“I think with as many people that has already took it with very few side effects that it should be safe,” he said.
Crystal Harris, chairman and of the Smith River District, could not be reached for comment.
School Board
“I thought about it, but I don’t know for sure yet,” Brandon Simmons, chairman and of the Dan River District, said. “We still don’t know enough about these vaccines yet.”
Simmons noted that he will make his decision after assessing the reactions of a larger group of people to the vaccine.
“If everything starts going more smoothly and you don’t hear about as many problems with it and they get it worked out more, I’d be happy to take it,” he said.
Simmons said he doesn’t think teachers or students should be required to receive the COVID-19 before they are allowed into a physical classroom.
“For me personally, I’m not for making people take something they don’t want to take. I don’t think it should be forced,” he said.
However, he said he believes the state could attempt to enforce vaccinations for teachers and students to return to the classroom.
“With the leadership in the state right now, we never know what’s going to happen. It wouldn’t surprise me if the state tries to mandate that, but I don’t see the county doing that. I see them (state) trying to push that, I don’t think it’ll pass,” he said, adding the VEA (Virginia Education Association) is pushing for students not to return to school until all teachers and employees get the vaccine.
Walter Scott, vice chairman and of the Smith River District, said he does not plan to receive the vaccine. “I’ve gotten COVID myself, so I’ve got the natural shot,” he said.
Scott said he would encourage people who have health conditions, or feel COVID would have a bad effect to take the vaccine.
“But, if you’re healthy and feel healthy it’d be your choice whether you take it or not,” he said, adding he does not support a vaccine mandate as “grown people can make their own minds up.”
Scott said his goal once teachers are vaccinated, or even sooner, is to get back to 4-days a week for in-person education. “But especially once the vaccines are out there and the staff who want to take the vaccine get it, I don’t’ see any reason why we can’t go back to at least 4-day school weeks. There are a lot worse things that affect our students than COVID, and those concerns are big concerns of mine.”
Amy Walker, of the Mayo River District, said she plans to receive the vaccine for her own safety and the safety of others. “I don’t want to be sick and I don’t want to make others sick,” she said.
Walker said made her decision based on the research she’s done on the vaccine, and added that she also takes a flu shot every year. She said she would tell others her reasoning for taking the vaccine, “but ultimately it’s a person’s own decision.”
Shannon Harrell, of the Blue Ridge District and Ryan Lawson, of the Peters Creek District, were unavailable for comment.
