JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Hospitals are filling up by the week with COVID patients and doctors in Jacksonville can’t stress enough for the community to get vaccinated.
“The vaccines are tremendously effective and the most important message is that everyone should be vaccinated," said Dr. Michael Koren, CEO of Jacksonville Center for Clinical Research.
But what if you are already fully vaccinated is it possible to still get COVID-19? Koren said the vaccines are quite effective but not 100% effective.
“We found that the vaccines were 95% effective but 100% effective against the most severe illness so to expect that there will be breakthrough cases that those cases tend to be very mild and severe," said Dr. Koren.
Dr. Chirag Patel, Assistant Chief Medical Officer at UF Health Jacksonville says of the breakthrough infections it is one and 25,000 people who have been vaccinated who are at risk for severe disease and one in 200,000 people that have been fully vaccinated who are at risk for death.
“You have a much higher chance of being struck by lightning than you do of being hospitalized with COVID when you’re fully vaccinated and it’s not even close," said Dr. Patel.
While you may be vaccinated others around you may not. So in that case Dr. Koren says you have to use your common sense.
“If you’re among vaccinated people I think it's very appropriate not wearing a mask but if you're amongst people where you don’t know their vaccine status you must be cautious and wear a mask," said Dr. Koren.