SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, Pa. — The state has received more than one million coronavirus vaccines.
In a news conference on Tuesday, Governor Tom Wolf has a message for Pennsylvanians.
He wants people to get their shots, and he emphasized the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"I am here to tell you that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe to use and very good at protecting people who are vaccinated," Wolf said.
The state department of health said more than 300,000 people in Pennsylvania have gotten the first dose of the vaccine and 30,000 are considered fully vaccinated.
Some people in Schuylkill County are skeptical about getting the shot.
"It hasn't been around very long. We don't know what the side effects will be 20 or 30 years from now, and I'm not comfortable putting my kids through that," Brittany Culbert of Pine Grove said.
"I'm not okay with taking the vaccine because I cannot take the flu vaccine every year. Last time I took the flu vaccine, I came very close to ending up in the hospital," Lester Earhart of New Philadelphia said.
"I'm still on the edge of getting it or not, you know, I had the opportunity to get it through work," Jason Yantan of Frackville said.
Karen Hoak got her shot last week; she works at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill.
"I have to admit I was a little scared at first to get it, but I jumped right in; I got it. It went smooth," Hoak said.
She hasn't had any side effects or symptoms.
"When I first got it, it just felt like the flu shot in my arm. No problems at all," Hoak added.
She was able to get the vaccine because she is included in Phase 1A of the state's rollout plan; health care workers are included in Phase 1A.
