UNE’s Susan Wehry thrice discusses COVID-19 vaccines in media

Susan Wehry, M.D., chief of the Division of Geriatric Medicine at UNE’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, has thrice been quoted in national publications discussing the country’s rollout of its first COVID-19 vaccines.

Wehry was first quoted in McKnight’s Senior Living on Jan. 4, in which she responded to concerns about low rates of nursing home employees becoming vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. She said there are a number of ways health administrators can alleviate staff or resident concerns about the vaccines.

“Senior living providers can make a great contribution by being transparent, providing accurate, trustworthy information from primary sources, and making the clinic experience a positive one,” Wehry told the publication.

Wehry said enticing employees to become vaccinated with cash bonuses — as some facilities are discussing — could backfire. “‘If this is so safe,’ people might ask, “why do you have to pay me to take it?’” Wehry expressed to the Philadelphia Inquirer on Jan. 10.

She echoed that sentiment in Forbes on Jan. 13, saying that “small gifts” for staff would be more effective and stressed it is important to make it “the norm to take the vaccine.”