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Leaders of Idaho’s most populous county were deluged with constituent emails last month as they prepared to choose the newest member of a once-obscure regional health board. A doctor who served on the board for 15 years had just been let go over his support for pandemic restrictions. Hundreds wrote in for Ryan Cole, a doctor — backed by the Ada County Republican Party — who has called coronavirus vaccines “fake.” (Knowles, 9/16)

The number of Kentuckians hesitant to get vaccinated against COVID-19 has decreased since March, new poll results show, but 20% still say they probably or definitely won't get the shot. The poll, from The Foundation for a Health Kentucky in partnership with the University of Cincinnati, involved calling 512 Kentuckians between Aug. 4 and Sept. 4. The results showed more than 1 in 3 unvaccinated people said nothing would persuade them to pivot and get a vaccine; 1 in 5 said they wanted more time and research before proceeding; and 1 in 6 said they wanted to see more evidence presented about the safety, efficacy and side effects of vaccines. (Ladd, 9/16)

The growing frustration with the ongoing pandemic is boiling over, with all eyes turned to the unvaccinated as the key to getting through the COVID-19 crisis. As cases approach winter levels, the U.S. has been left to decide how to deal with and treat the millions who still haven’t received their shots, months after they became widely available. (Coleman, 9/16)

The Rev. Clarence Williams addressed people outside his church in south St. Petersburg on a recent evening. Rather than preach the Bible, he was preaching about vaccines. “We have people that are counting on you to be healthy,” Williams said through a microphone to those gathered at Greater Mount Zion AME Church. "Come and be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem.” (Colombini and Sheridan, 9/16)

The online market for fake Covid-19 vaccination cards is booming. Thousands of online sellers are claiming to offer near-perfect copies of the cards at prices that have risen sharply in recent weeks, with some now selling a single card for hundreds of dollars. While it’s unclear how many cards successfully make it to people who try to buy them, the  federal government is intercepting reams of them. A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the agency has intercepted thousands of packages of fake cards from China that “we basically stopped keeping track, because there were so many.” (Collier, 9/16)

COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective for pregnant people and those who plan to become pregnant, according to all of the data gathered by researchers so far. But the baseless concern or belief that they could hurt a person’s ability to conceive and deliver a healthy child has influenced many in choosing not to get a shot. In August, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially recommended that pregnant people get vaccinated against COVID-19, in part because they are at a higher risk of becoming severely ill from the disease compared to non-pregnant people. Those who are attempting to conceive or are breastfeeding should also get their shots, the CDC has said. In addition, there is some evidence that the virus — not the vaccine — could potentially negatively impact sperm production and testicular function. (Isaacs-Thomas, 9/16)