Discussion held on vaccination mandate

At the recent Hot Springs County Commissioners meeting, Tricia McPhie of Public Health and Prevention held a discussion with the commissioners about the executive order from President Biden to mandate vaccinations.

Chairman Ryan expressed concern over it and the entire board of commissioners opposed the mandate. The mandatory vaccination executive order was proposed by Biden to be administered through OSHA regulations to have all federal employees, healthcare workers, and businesses with more than 100 employees to receive the vaccination. The penalty if they did not could be a $14,000 per person, per day fine. Wyoming Governor Gordon has also expressed his opposition to the mandate.

Chairman Ryan and commissioner Scheel noted that there wasn’t an actual official executive order but that Biden simply proposed it publicly. Commissioner Baird added a clarification that Federal employees are still required to get vaccinated by November 20 and that some county employees work for the federal government and said, “How is that going to work?”

Ryan added that filing a lawsuit against the federal government will not be effective and that standing might be an issue. Also, Ryan discussed that some have an issue whether the vaccine is healthy or not.

Ryan asked McPhie to provide the commissioners with data from Hot Springs County from August 1 to September 17. The report said that the days the hospital was on admit diversion were 13. There has been zero admits due to people who have had a Covid vaccine reaction. The report said that 70.4% of the patients who tested positive in the emergency room were not vaccinated. Hot Springs County doubled the number of deaths during this six-week period versus their first four deaths, that happened over the first 16 months.

Commissioner Baird said that he knows that three of the four deaths from Covid were already vaccinated. Both Ryan and McPhie said that they don’t know about those.

Ryan continued and said, “All I’m saying is we are opposed to do mandatory vaccinations and the governor indicated that as well.” Ryan then painted the picture of the possible OSHA regulations mandating the vaccine and that OSHA would check the payroll of employees to see if they were vaccinated.

Baird then said with passion, “That is between them and their doctors!” Ryan then said there are under 100 employees of Hot Springs County. Then the issue of finding staffing was brought up and that it is a statewide issue.

Ryan added, “I still don’t think it diminishes the effectiveness of the vaccine for the number of people that are hospitalized.”

Scheel then said, “I want to clearly state that I am completely opposed to a vaccine mandate. But I am not opposed to individuals getting the vaccine. Just like Jack said, that’s a decision for each individual.”

Ryan replied, “All the way. All the way. And I’m very concerned that if you make it a mandate, that it just is terrifying.”

Scheel later said, “This is kind of a weed’s question, but whatever happened to HIPPA?” Baird said, “Exactly!”

McPhie replied, “That’s out of my scope what that looks like. Public Health still has to follow HIPPA ‘to the T’.” She added that subjects can request their names to not be put into the Wyoming registry system. Their demographics can be entered, but the subject can be listed as anonymous. 

McPhie then continued with an update on Covid and said that the Pfizer boosts have been approved for those who are eligible. They must be six months out from the previous shot. Hot Springs County didn’t start vaccinating with Pfizer until May.

McPhie added that subjects should stay with the same brand of vaccinations. The FDA will meet on October 14 regarding the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson boosters. More guidance on those will be coming. McPhie said that when the boosters do come out, Public Health will be busy. Also, the FDA will meet on October 26 regarding lowering the age of children then canreceive the vaccine from 11 years old to five years old. 

Ryan later said that there would be studies that investigated how Covid started and how guidance was implemented. Ryan said, “We’re still feeling positive and negative both.”

Scheel added, “History is left to the textbook author.” Ryan agreed and expressed that research should be done on the impacts of mental health and businesses.

McPhie then gave a Covid vaccination rate update. Hot Springs County is still third in the state, with 42.44% vaccinated. Teton County is 75.89%. Albany County is 48.9%. In Hot Springs County, ages 12 to 17 are 18.3%, seniors are 72%, adults 18 and over are 51%. Public Health is still vaccinating an average of five people per week, but they have seen a recent decline. 

Public Health is also having a drive-through clinic for flu vaccines on Oct 13.