A stream of kids are piling off the Spin-a-Tron, while a line of others wait anxiously, standing as tall as they can next to the height marker. Others race up and down the Fayette County Fair midway, while Natasha Howard waits for her kids to hop off a tiny train.
鈥淧retty much the whole clan right here in the middle, besides that little boy鈥擨 don鈥檛 know who that is,鈥� Howard said with a laugh.
The Ohio State Fair is back, but because of COVID concerns, the spectators aren鈥檛. Meanwhile at the county level, fairs are going forward, and they鈥檙e packed. That presents a tricky balancing act as the delta variant spreads faster than Ohio鈥檚 flagging pace of vaccinations.
Howard and most of her friends and family have gotten their shots, but she can feel the pace of vaccinations slowing. That gives her pause even though she鈥檚 optimistic for the most part.
鈥淛ust because my kids hasn鈥檛 been vaccinated yet, and there鈥檚 one in particular that I鈥檓 really worried about being in contact with it,鈥� Howard said. 鈥淏ut other than that it hasn鈥檛 really been a big issue.鈥�
Fayette County actually isn鈥檛 doing that bad case-wise. They鈥檙e about middle of the pack in Ohio when it comes to cases per 100,000 people. Late last week, their rate was 28 cases per 100,000 people while the state average was 27.
But like many other rural counties their vaccination rates are low. Just 36% of residents have gotten at least one shot. That鈥檚 concerning as the Delta variant reverses Ohio鈥檚 downward trend. Although the numbers are still relatively low, in less than three weeks the average number of new cases in the state has more than doubled.
The fair is largely outside, but given the circumstances, getting thousands of relatively unvaccinated people together does present risks. Over near the barns, Bryon Ely said the sluggish pace of vaccinations does cross his mind, and like Howard, he鈥檚 concerned because of his child.
鈥淓ven in the barn you鈥檙e pretty well separated, people are here at different times and things like that,鈥� Ely said. 鈥淏ut when you鈥檙e in the grandstands and it鈥檚 packed full you know there鈥檚 a little bit of concern it鈥檚 in the back of your mind, I鈥檒l admit that, and be[ing] a little more concerned about it for my son.鈥�
County health officials are hoping the big turnout might offer an opportunity to gain ground. Fayette County immunization coordinator Amy Friel is staffing a tent ready to answer questions and schedule people for vaccines. But it鈥檚 been a tough sell. Traffic is down, and those who aren鈥檛 vaccinated aren鈥檛 really interested in talking about getting a shot.
There are 30 people signed up for vaccinations in the next two weeks, but after four days working at the fair, county nurses were only been able to net one new appointment for their efforts. Friel said it would be nice if they could actually administer shots right away.
鈥淚f there was a way for us to put it in a single-dose vial, and get out there oh we鈥檇 be all over it,鈥� Friel said. 鈥淚鈥檇 be all over the place, just hey do you want your vaccine? I鈥檝e got it right now.鈥�
Vaccines show up in multi-dose vials that require refrigeration. So, to distribute them without waste Friel really needs groups of people. Instead, it鈥檚 80-plus outside and even with fans and a cooler full of bottled water to lure in passersby, the health department tent isn鈥檛 exactly drawing a crowd.
鈥淚 mean most of the parents who are at the fair, their kids are showing, and they鈥檙e running back and forth, and if we were able to get them at that 15 minute downtime when they鈥檙e taking that breath, I think it would be amazing,鈥� Friel said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just it鈥檚 not possible with the way the vaccine has to be stored.鈥�
State health officials stepped in to help run a vaccine clinic at the Lucas County Fair earlier this month, and some counties like Butler, Columbiana and Pickaway are setting up vaccine drives of their own at the fair. A spokeswoman for the state health department also referenced their outreach to agriculture groups like 4-H and Future Farmers of America to provide information and encourage vaccinations in rural communities.
