CoxHealth plans to close its COVID-19 mass vaccination clinics soon and move vaccines into doctors’ offices. CoxHealth president and CEO Steve Edwards said Friday they would stop holding the clinics in a couple of weeks.
Edwards said the healthcare system has administered 88,000 doses, but they’re seeing demand for the vaccine go down.
According to Edwards, they’re moving the vaccine into doctors’ offices for patient convenience, and they hope that will result in more people getting the shot.
"Most of us trust our doctor more than any other entity, and not any doctor but our doctor," Edwards said, "and so this will allow a conversation between a patient and doctor to help them understand the merits of getting it."
Dr. Robin Trotman, infectious disease specialist at Cox, knows firsthand the benefit of being able to talk one-on-one with patients. He believes moving the vaccine into doctors’ offices will make a difference in the number of people who are vaccinated against COVID-19.
"If you could have that conversation right now and say, 'hey, let's do this,' they're much more likely to accept that recommendation than if you schedule it down the road," said Trotman.
CoxHeath has seen an uptick in COVID-19 patients who are coming in later and who end up in the ICU, according to Edwards. He said those in the COVID-19 ICU as of Friday had opted not to get the vaccine.
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