Expand / Collapse search
☰

Doctors: Current vaccine distribution may not help with Arizona's rate of COVID-19 spread

By
Published  January 13, 2021 4:25pm MST
Coronavirus in Arizona
FOX 10 Phoenix

Doctors: Current vaccine distribution may not help with Arizona’s rate of COVID-19 spread

At the rate Arizona is going with COVID-19 cases, doctors say the vaccine won't help slow the spread of the virus anytime soon. The vaccine's rollout has been heavily criticized for being slow.

PHOENIX - All eyes are on Arizona right now, because according to experts, the state is the world’s hot spot for COVID-19, with the new case numbers breaking records every day.

Doctors say the vaccination rate may not be enough. This is coming after the first 24/7 vaccine facility has opened just days ago on Jan. 11.

Doctors say Arizona's numbers are astonishing, adding that testing is not widely available and that even though the vaccine is here, it's not getting out fast enough.

"We are pretty much at 10,000 cases per day. I never thought Arizona would reach that level," said Joshua Labaer, executive director of the Arizona State University Biodesign Institute.

He says case numbers and the positivity rates are extraordinary, adding, "It means there are a lot of people in our state walking around with COVID."

RELATED: 24 hour COVID-19 vaccination site opens at State Farm Stadium in Glendale

The reason for the increase, he says, could be because people are letting up on the protocols because the vaccine is out.

"The number of people getting the vaccine is tiny," he said.

Dr. Joe Gerald, a professor of Public Health Policy and Management at the University of Arizona says at the rate the virus is growing, the state won’t be able to vaccinate its way out of it.

"Our outbreak is progressing so quickly and our vaccine is rolling out so slowly. We will, unfortunately, achieve natural immunity before we get a vaccine-induced immunity," Gerald said.

He says the only way to save lives right now is to impose a lockdown — or focus on altering business at places like restaurants, movie theaters and gyms.

RELATED: What you need to know as COVID-19 vaccination gets underway in Arizona

"The state has not put in the best incentives to allow people to stay at home and do the right thing," Gerald said.

Doctors say the goal is to reach vaccine-induced immunity because then Arizonans can avoid the ICU, hospitalizations and death.

Until we get there, doctors are asking anyone to follow protocols.