Many Amish in America Unsure About Vaccination
2021-07-05
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1Almost 180 million Americans - about 54 percent of the population - have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
2Experts say low vaccination rates could permit the virus to become stronger and spread easily again.
3Trust and use of the vaccine is less common in rural areas of the United States, especially among Amish people.
4They are deeply religious Christians who reject much of modern life.
5One large community of Amish lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
6When state health care leaders began planning COVID-19 vaccine campaigns, they knew it would be a difficult to persuade the Amish to accept vaccination.
7Early on, health care workers placed vaccine information at farm supply stores and at places where the Amish sell their goods.
8They also advertised the vaccine in a newspaper widely read by the Amish.
9By May, two rural vaccination centers had opened near the Amish in Lancaster.
10During the first six weeks, 400 people showed up for shots. Only 12 were Amish.
11Vaccination efforts are far behind in many Amish communities across the U.S.
12Nearly two-thirds of the estimated 345,000 Amish in the U.S live in Indiana, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
13In Ohio's Holmes County, home to the nation's largest Amish community, just 14 percent of the county's overall population is fully vaccinated.
14Though vaccine acceptance differs among communities, the Amish often depend on family tradition and advice from clergy.
15A main belief of their religion is that God controls sickness and death.
16Alice Yoder is the director of community health at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, a medical network in Pennsylvania.
17She says many Amish do not think they need the COVID-19 vaccine because they have already gotten sick.
18They believe their communities are now protected from the disease.
19Experts say the low vaccination rates are a result of both the nature of the Amish and the general vaccine disinterest found in much of rural America.
20Public health officials have tried to fight the misinformation and disinterest.
21Michael Derr is the chief of public health in Holmes County, Ohio.
22"It's not due to lack of effort," Derr said.
23"But this thing is so politically charged."
24Most experts advise that people get vaccinated even if they have had COVID-19.
25Researchers believe the vaccine increases protection against the coronavirus.
26Steven Nolt is a history and religion professor at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania.
27Nolt said that during the first months of the pandemic, the Amish followed social distancing guidelines.
28They stopped gathering for religious services and funerals.
29But when non-Amish neighbors and local politicians began to protest government guidelines, the Amish began to gather again.
30Nolt noted that a sudden and sharp increase of COVID-19 followed in the summer.
31Most Amish now say they have already had the virus and do not see a need to get vaccinated, said Mark Raber.
32Raber is Amish and lives in Daviess County, Indiana, which has one of the state's lowest vaccination rates.
33Raber said about the vaccine, "As long as everything stays the same, I don't think I'll get it."
34I'm John Russell.
1Almost 180 million Americans - about 54 percent of the population - have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Experts say low vaccination rates could permit the virus to become stronger and spread easily again. 2Trust and use of the vaccine is less common in rural areas of the United States, especially among Amish people. They are deeply religious Christians who reject much of modern life. One large community of Amish lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 3When state health care leaders began planning COVID-19 vaccine campaigns, they knew it would be a difficult to persuade the Amish to accept vaccination. 4Early on, health care workers placed vaccine information at farm supply stores and at places where the Amish sell their goods. They also advertised the vaccine in a newspaper widely read by the Amish. 5By May, two rural vaccination centers had opened near the Amish in Lancaster. During the first six weeks, 400 people showed up for shots. Only 12 were Amish. 6Vaccination efforts are far behind in many Amish communities across the U.S. 7Nearly two-thirds of the estimated 345,000 Amish in the U.S live in Indiana, Pennsylvania and Ohio. In Ohio's Holmes County, home to the nation's largest Amish community, just 14 percent of the county's overall population is fully vaccinated. 8Though vaccine acceptance differs among communities, the Amish often depend on family tradition and advice from clergy. A main belief of their religion is that God controls sickness and death. 9Alice Yoder is the director of community health at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, a medical network in Pennsylvania. She says many Amish do not think they need the COVID-19 vaccine because they have already gotten sick. They believe their communities are now protected from the disease. 10Experts say the low vaccination rates are a result of both the nature of the Amish and the general vaccine disinterest found in much of rural America. 11Public health officials have tried to fight the misinformation and disinterest. 12Michael Derr is the chief of public health in Holmes County, Ohio. 13"It's not due to lack of effort," Derr said. "But this thing is so politically charged." 14Most experts advise that people get vaccinated even if they have had COVID-19. Researchers believe the vaccine increases protection against the coronavirus. 15Steven Nolt is a history and religion professor at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. 16Nolt said that during the first months of the pandemic, the Amish followed social distancing guidelines. They stopped gathering for religious services and funerals. 17But when non-Amish neighbors and local politicians began to protest government guidelines, the Amish began to gather again. Nolt noted that a sudden and sharp increase of COVID-19 followed in the summer. 18Most Amish now say they have already had the virus and do not see a need to get vaccinated, said Mark Raber. Raber is Amish and lives in Daviess County, Indiana, which has one of the state's lowest vaccination rates. 19Raber said about the vaccine, "As long as everything stays the same, I don't think I'll get it." 20I'm John Russell. 21John Seewer reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. 22____________________________________________________________ 23Words in This Story 24dose - n. the amount of a medicine, drug, or vitamin that is taken at one time 25pandemic -- n. medical: an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people over a wide area or throughout the world 26due to -- expression because of (something)