Kees Kolff, in his op-ed Jan. 28, asserts that Jefferson County is among the top four counties vaccinating its population. 

If that is so it says more about the poor progress of the others than anything about us. 

In round numbers Clallam County has vaccinated 13,400, or 17 percent of its total population. Jefferson has vaccinated 4,250, only 13.6 percent of the total population. Thus Clallam has vaccinated 25 percent more as a percentage of its total population than Jefferson. Yet we have the state’s highest percentage of citizens over age 65 — nearly 38 percent. Also, a very high portion of those vaccinated here are group 1a health care related workers, not general population.

He neglects to mention that, as the Leader reported Jan. 7, Jefferson Healthcare declined an additional allocation of vaccine in late December, yet blames state and federal governments for shortages. If this pandemic has taught us anything it is that we must avail ourselves of all opportunities presented to us.

He says the good news is that Jefferson Healthcare has now produced, “a dynamic interactive website.” Checking that website almost hourly has not produced any of the requested notices.

But it does note how many have received second doses, though not when those over 70 might receive the first.

Kolff goes on to assert that since 75 percent of hospital staff have been vaccinated, “staff has nearly achieved herd immunity.” This misstates that concept of epidemiology. The only way that could constitute “herd immunity” would be if the staff itself were the entire herd, completely separate from the remainder of the entire population. They are not a “herd” by themselves, only a very small subset of the entire. 

If a few springbok on the fringe can outrun the cheetah, it does not make the rest of the herd immune from his bite.

Mark Roye
PORT TOWNSEND