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All 4 County Nurses Refuse to Administer the COVID-19 Vaccine in Coffey County, Kansas
Getting the COVID-19 vaccine in Coffey County, Kansas has become nearly impossible. All four nurses in the county’s health department have reportedly refused to administer the drug to patients and staff, citing their concerns over the safety and efficacy of the drug, even though both vaccines have been approved by the FDA for emergency use.
Health officials are blaming misinformation for the ordeal. Despite the nurses’ objections, the county says it will move forward with the vaccination process.
Opting Out in Coffey County
The issue first came to light on January 4th when health department administrator Lindsay Payer told the Board of Commissioners during a virtual meeting that she and three other nurses had refused to administer the drug, saying, “My staff is not comfortable with that. It’s a new technology we’ve never seen before.”
Associated Press
photo by: Associated Press
A bottle of Moderna s COVID-19 vaccine is seen on a table before Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly received an injection Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
TOPEKA (AP) Four nurses at a rural health department in Kansas are refusing to administer any COVID-19 vaccines, citing the fast development and production of the shots.
Coffey County Public Health Administrator Lindsay Payer said the nurses made their own decisions and expressed their concerns one by one. She called the vaccine documents concerning.
“I strongly feel that if people want this vaccine, they should receive it. Absolutely,” Payer said. “But just like it’s their choice to receive it or not, I feel like it should also be my choice to give it or not.”