Gov. Reynolds Urges Iowans To Get New COVID-19 Vaccine

It's one thing to tell Iowans not to be afraid of the new COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson and Johnson. It's another thing to show it. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds got the new one shot vaccine yesterday on live television to make a point. That Iowans can trust the new vaccine from Johnson and Johnson.

The Gazette reports that the Governor, her husband Kevin, and Public Health Director Kelly Garcia all received the shots yesterday around halfway through a press conference at the Iowa PBS Studios. Governor Reynolds said that she waited until now to get vaccinated to defer to other Iowans who were more vulnerable to severe cases of COVID. She got the new Johnson and Johnson shot because she wanted to show Iowans that it's just as safe and effective as the other vaccines.

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The Gazette reports that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine was shown in clinical trials to prevent deaths and severe symptoms. It has been shown to be less effective at preventing moderate symptoms. But experts say that shouldn't stop anyone from getting the vaccine. The bottom line is, it is extremely effective at preventing  severe sickness, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19.

Governor Reynolds and Garcia said they felt just fine 15 minutes after getting their shots. So far more than 350,000 Iowans have received one dose of the vaccine, with around 196,000 having gotten both doses, according to the Gazette. More than 100,000 doses of vaccine arrived in Iowa this week, including over 25,000 doses of the new Johnson and Johnson vaccine.