By Caroline Sellers
Arkansascovid.com
Rural Prairie County, east of Little Rock, has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the southeastern region of Arkansas, with just 1,374 people fully vaccinated as of April 22, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.
Prairie County, with 8,244 residents, had 889 total positive COVID-19 cases, 21 deaths and currently has one active case, according to ADH data from April 22.
Jennifer Kelly, a pharmacist at Prescription Shop in Hazen, says the pharmacy has vaccinated roughly 2,000 to 2,300 as of last Thursday. The pharmacy is using the Moderna vaccine, according to Kelly.
“It’s been great. We have plenty of doses, it’s just a matter of the people who want it. I think the people who want it have gotten it by now so we actually have plenty of doses,” Kelly said.
Jefferson County had the highest fully vaccinated population in the Southeastern region of the state, which is composed of 14 counties, with 9,624 people fully vaccinated as of April 19, ADH data show.
As for Prairie County’s low vaccination rate, Prescription Shop is the only pharmacy and location in the county administering the COVID-19 vaccine, Kelly said. “It’s been readily available and we do vaccine clinics a couple of times a week so I think it’s just a matter of who wants it and who doesn’t,” she said.