Letter from Dr. Grant Niskanen
To: Herald and News, letter to the editor
Subj: COVID-19 and the holidays
Sky Lakes Medical Center is coming down from our third – and worse – COVID-19 surge of the year; this time it’s because of the Delta variant.
Most of the hospitalizations and deaths here as across the nation have been among people who are unvaccinated. Earlier this month the U.S. reached the grim statistic: 800,000 deaths due to COVID-19. Researchers estimate, however, that the COVID-19 vaccines prevented 1.1 million additional U.S. deaths and 10.3 million hospitalizations.
With the holidays comes another COVID-19 variant: Omicron. Early studies suggest that Omicron is a milder infection but is highly contagious. That is, it will spread more easily, but likely won’t make you as sick. But more concerning is its increased resistance to both previous infection and the mRNA vaccines after 6 months.
According to David Montifiori, M.D., a virologist at Duke University, the two-dose Moderna vaccine is 50 times less effective at blocking the Omicron variant. Fortunately, his study showed a third shot or booster was highly effective at blocking Omicron.
Why not just get the natural infection? It is true most people will have a mild to moderate illness, and that will provide some immunity, but those who are older or have a significant illness, including being overweight, are at increased risk of hospitalization and death.
The problem with Omicron is it’s very contagious with little resistance in our community. Though a lower percentage will have serious infection, the overall number infections would continue to strain our local healthcare system. Our best defense is a third vaccination shot or booster.
Is the vaccine perfect? No. Will people who have been vaccinated become infected? Yes. The vaccine is like your modern car that has seatbelts, airbags, antilock brakes, and traction control. Those devices may prevent a crash and many drivers will never be in one, but if you are, these features significantly reduce your chances of serious injury or death.
The COVID-19 vaccine third dose or booster does the same: It reduces your chance of hospitalization and death.
If you have not been vaccinated or it’s been six months since your last COVID-19 vaccine, get vaccinated and reduce the chances of you and those around you of being hospitalized and dying.
Klamath Falls, OR