The unvaccinated are still at risk from COVID-19 – The Mountaineer

Some are convinced the risks of getting the vaccine outweigh the benefits, while yet others even believe the conspiracy theories about the vaccine. Still others think of it as no worse than the flu and believe even if they get COVID, they will be fine.

It was a bout with the virus that prompted Waynesville Police Chief David Adams to get vaccinated.

Adams spent almost a week in the hospital early this year after his infection led to double-pneumonia.

Although Adams was never placed on a ventilator, he still said it was scary not knowing how the virus would run its course.

“People are coming in suits and masks to take care of you,” he said. “It’s like something you’d see in a sci-fi TV show.”

While Adams said he’s aware not everyone experiences serious symptoms, that wasn’t the case for him, and he also pointed out that well over 100 officers nationwide lost their lives due to COVID infections.

“It was an eye-opening experience,” he said of his own infection. “I wasn’t sure but now I know COVID’s for real. It’s no joke. Some people have no issues at all.”

Adams said even after he left the hospital, some of his symptoms lingered for quite some time.

“It was like my vision was bad for several weeks after I got out too, and the brain fog didn’t clear up for a while,” he said.

Adams, who is an Army veteran and no stranger to vaccinations, was convinced he needed to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as he could, and 60 days after leaving the hospital, got the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

“I just had a little bit of an itch from the vaccine,” he said, adding that any side effects paled in comparison to dealing with the virus itself. “I didn’t have any issues with the vaccine. It’s still a personal choice, but for me I know it was the right thing to do. If they’re comfortable with doing the vaccine, it’s safe.”

In the past week, a total of 36 positive cases have been reported, and the highest single day average was six. However, there are still individuals who are hospitalized with the virus and fighting for their lives.

Just recently, a man over the age of 70 contracted COVID and was improving, but had a massive stroke two weeks later, Jaben said. He ended up in ICU on a ventilator, a condition linked to the earlier virus infection. Then his spouse also got COVID and ended up in the hospital, too.

“Neither chose to be vaccinated,” Jaben said. “This shows the risk for unvaccinated people is no different than it has been for the past year and a half. Just because the case numbers are lower, it looks better. But there is still a lot of risk for those who can’t be vaccinated or choose not to get it.”

A second situation arose with a teenager who had underlying health issues. The teen went with another family to a neighbor’s home and heard several days later someone there had been presymptomatic, Jaben said.

“The teen wasn’t eligible to be vaccinated until recently, and neither family members chose to be vaccinated,” he said.

The teen got sick and ended up in ICU on a ventilator, just as the unvaccinated 70-plus year old couple, Jaben said.

Jaben said a simple vaccination would likely have prevented some of these extreme COVID cases that have led to hospitalization.

“These are situations that could have been pretty avoidable had they chosen to be vaccinated,” he said. “Across the state, we’re seeing 800 new cases a day and 17 new deaths a day. Almost 2-to-1, those getting sick are people who can’t be or chose not to be vaccinated.”