Don't Wait Until It's Too Late - Why You Should Get the COVID-19 Vaccine
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If you’ve been following the news on COVID-19 lately, you probably know about the “Delta variant,” a more contagious and dangerous strain of the virus that’s become the leading variant in the United States. As of July 20th, it now accounts for 83% of all new COVID-19 cases. Despite these numbers, if you’re vaccinated there’s no reason to worry – multiple studies have shown that the COVID-19 vaccines are extremely effective against multiple variants of COVID-19, including the Delta variant.
But if you are not vaccinated, you’re much more at risk.
Unvaccinated is Unprotected
"There is a clear message that is coming through," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at a press briefing this month. "This is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”
Unvaccinated people account for 97% of new hospitalizations for COVID-19 in the country. While some of these unvaccinated people may have chosen willingly not to get the vaccine, there are some populations that still can’t get the vaccine even if they wanted to. Children under age 12, for example, are not yet eligible for the vaccine, and then there are some people suffering from immune deficiencies who can’t get the vaccine, either. It’s important to keep these vulnerable neighbors of ours in mind when we make our choice about getting vaccinated – you’re not just protecting yourself, you’re protecting your fellow neighbors, too.
Texas Vaccination
Health experts estimate 75% to 90% of Texans need to achieve immunity to COVID-19 to reach herd immunity. As of July 20, about 43% of Texas’ 29 million people have been fully vaccinated, which is several points behind the national vaccination rate of 49%.
Currently, Denton County is at 53% vaccination and Collin County is at 58%, which means we’re on the right track locally. It’s important to keep up this momentum and encourage your friends and family to get vaccinated so that they can be part of the solution that keeps us all safe.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
The urgency that health experts are speaking with comes from stories like Dr. Brytney Cobia’s. As a hospitalist working in Alabama – the state with the lowest vaccination rate – she has had many young, healthy people admitted to the hospital with serious COVID infections.
“One of the last things they do before they’re intubated is beg me for the vaccine. I hold their hand and tell them that I’m sorry, but it’s too late,” Cobia wrote in a Facebook post on July 18th.
The numbers and the science are clear: the COVID-19 vaccine saves lives, prevents serious illness from the virus, and protects our more vulnerable friends and neighbors. Don’t wait: sign up to get the vaccine today.
Vaccination Registration for HSNT Patients