In another push to get more Americans vaccinated against COVID-19, celebrities are being recruited to ask the hesitant to get the shot. It sure must make them feel important, but a recent survey shows their efforts are pointless. It's not your favorite actor, or singer, or ahem...morning radio host that will make you see the light. It's your close friends and family, and yes, your doctor. And it's time to listen to them.

You've probably seen the news recently about the rise in the very contagious Delta variant of COVID-19. States across the nation are seeing a rise in cases and hospitalizations. Many are calling this wave a 'pandemic of the unvaccinated.' Take a look at our state of Iowa. According to tracking data by the Mayo Clinic, only 49% of Iowans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 52% have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine. Many other states sit well below Iowa's vaccination rate, leaving millions of Americans vulnerable.

Not only that, but children under the age of 12 are not eligible yet for a vaccine, leaving them vulnerable and open to infection from unvaccinated adults. There is some encouraging news. The survey I spoke of earlier shows that one in five adults say they are now vaccinated after showing hesitancy early in the year. What made them change their minds? Conversations with relatives, family members, and their doctor. The easing of restrictions for vaccinated citizens also played a role.

The statistic that can't be ignored right now is that nearly 95% of people in many states that are contracting and dying of COVID are unvaccinated. So, if you are not vaccinated and have questions about what the vaccines are like, talk to a friend or loved one who is vaccinated. Unsure of the science? Check out great resources like the Mayo Clinic or call your family doctor. I'm not going to sit here and shout and claim I have the answers. But I'm more than willing to point you in the direction of people that do.
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