LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Officials say they're still racing to reach herd immunity against COVID-19, but folks around the country seem to be slower to show up and get a shot.
For many, it was a long road to get the vaccine.
"We used to have people every day who would literally sit outside our office and wait for someone not to show up for their appointment to get a shot," said Allyson Favuzza, a nurse practitioner and co-owner of Hometown Health Care of NEPA.
"Months ago, there was, you know, we had 12,000 people literally on our list for a vaccine," said Kellen Kraky, co-owner of Hometown Health Care of NEPA.
There were more people, in fact, than vaccines.
"There really just wasn't enough vaccine to meet the demand, not only in our area but across the state and really across the country," Kraky said.
But at a clinic at the Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton, there was essentially no line waiting for those getting the jab to protect against COVID-19.
"Everybody that really wanted the vaccine had the vaccine or has an appointment for the vaccine," Favuzza said.
The co-owners of Hometown Health Care of NEPA say that, like much of the country, they see the rush to get the shots slow down some.
"Vaccine hesitancy is very real, so we are seeing a lot of that. People who are unsure about getting a vaccine," Kraky said.
"That segment of the population who, no matter what you tell them, what you do, they are never going to get a vaccine," Favuzza said. "And then there's those people in the middle grounds."
The CDC says about 50 percent of all Americans received their first dose of a vaccine, and about one-third are fully vaccinated.
Now that Pennsylvania has made everyone 16 and older eligible, at least some teens were more than happy to get the vaccine.
"I personally wanted to get it as soon as possible," said Paige Morgan, 17, from Archbald.
"I was a little bit hesitant at first, but I took my time, and I thought about it, and I figured it'd probably be best if I just got it," said Tommy Quinn, 17, from North Pocono.
As vaccine eligibility opens up to even younger groups, the owners of Hometown Health Care say outreach is key.
"Now, it's really going out into the community and reaching people where they are, you know, going to community centers, to churches, to schools," Favuzza said.
The health care workers say the goal is herd immunity, and those hesitant about the vaccine should discuss it with their doctor.