Aug 19, 2021 - COVID

No lines at the Iowa State Fair's COVID vaccine booth

A man lifts up his T-shirt sleeve to reveal his upper arm at the Iowa State Fair COVID vaccine booth.

Robert Wenck, 72, got a COVID-19 booster shot at the Iowa State Fair earlier this week. Photo courtesy of Katie Akin/Iowa Capital Dispatch

There's not too much foot traffic over at the Iowa State Fair's COVID-19 vaccine booth.

  • Axios reviewed the Hy-Vee pharmacy booth's attendance and vaccine numbers, and found that few people are getting their shots.

Why it matters: Just over half (51%) of Iowans have been fully vaccinated, according to The New York Times.

By the numbers: As of Sunday, 150 people had been vaccinated at Hy-Vee's booth.

  • That equals less than .07% of the nearly 216,000 fair attendees from Friday through Sunday, the first three days the vaccines were offered.

What they're saying: A Hy-Vee nurse stated the obvious to the Iowa Capital Dispatch Tuesday, "We're not really changing a lot of minds."

Yes, but: They are reaching people.

  • Otley resident Arlan DeHeer, 61, got his first dose at the fair Tuesday.
  • "My arm was kind of twisted a little bit" by my family, DeHeer told the Dispatch.

Of note: Free COVID-19 vaccinations are part of multiple other state fairs this year, the AP reports.

  • In Wisconsin, 608 people were vaccinated during the fair's 11-day run.
  • At the ongoing Illinois and Indiana fairs, 156 and 304 people, respectively, had been vaccinated, as of Monday.
  • Minnesota will offer shots when the fair starts Aug. 26.

๐Ÿ’‰ Get yours: COVID-19 vaccinations are available at the Iowa State Fair daily from 10am-6pm. Hy-Vee's booth (#40050) is located between the Grand Avenue gate and the Elwell Family Food Center.

  • It's free and no appointments are needed.
  • Boosters are also available.
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