AdventHealth Doctor Makes The Case To Get Vaccinated For COVID-19

Orlando, FL – With the number of new cases on the rise and the number of people getting vaccinated for COVID-19 on the decrease, an AdventHealth Central Florida doctor said that the vaccine works and keeps people out of the hospital. Dr. Steven R. Smith, Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President of the AdventHealth Research Institute, said that both the Delta and Gamma variants are more contagious than the original COVID-19 strain but the current vaccines still work to lessen the symptoms. "We’ve been keeping track of the different variants that show up in our ICUs, in our hospitals. We knew, very early on that Delta was on its way up and Gamma is on its way up. The key is the vaccines still work." The number of people vaccinated in Florida under the age of 19 is about 30 percent. Dr. Smith said it’s encouraging that the vaccine is available to those 12 and up but because so few are vaccinated, more in that age group end up in the ICU. "There’s a fraction of people who are vaccinated who are getting COVID. The good news is those are typically milder cases than if you don’t have a vaccine. There’s still a very strong reason to get vaccinated to keep you out of the hospital."