“If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Get It. No Doubt. What I Went Through Is Probably The Worst I’ve Ever Seen.”
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and saves lives. However, Republican leaders continue to spread misinformation and fuel anti-science conspiracy theories, which is contributing to vaccine hesitancy and COVID spikes across the country. Now, hospitalized patients and grieving families of COVID victims are speaking out about regretting their choice to refuse the vaccine. These messages serve as a dire warning for the rest of America: get the vaccine before it’s too late. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:
“As prominent Republican governors and members of Congress continue to spread lies and inspire vaccine refusal, people are still becoming severely ill and are dying from the virus. Nearly all of these tragedies are preventable. With Delta on the rise and more people falling ill, it has never been more important to get shots in arms. Republicans should be doing everything possible to get their constituents vaccinated, but now they live with blood on their hands.”
“It’s Heart-Wrenching To See Unvaccinated Individuals Come Into The Hospital With Regret.” “’It is heart-wrenching to see unvaccinated individuals come into the hospital with regret,’ said Dare, an infectious diseases physician. They are patients who, ‘if they could do it all over again, would have had the vaccine in a second.’ Arkansas has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, with less than 35 percent of adults having been fully vaccinated. Now, the state’s low vaccine uptake has crashed headlong into the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus, leaving some hospital systems once again teetering on the brink of collapse more than a year into the pandemic.” [NBC News, 7/8/21]
“If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Get It. No Doubt. What I Went Through Is Probably The Worst I’ve Ever Seen.” “He said he wishes he had been vaccinated: ‘If [I] could do it all over again, I’d get it. No doubt. What I went through is probably the worst I’ve ever seen.’ Garza told CNN that he ended up days away from dying, but got the [lung] transplant in April. Garza urged other people to get the vaccine. ‘Think about your family. Because what I went through, I had to put my family through, also,’ he said. ‘I wish people would at least reconsider, or at least listen to what we went through, and hopefully you never have to go through that — ever.’” [Business Insider, 6/18/21]
“You Got To Do What’s Necessary To Make Sure You Make It Out Of These Times. Because My Dad’s Gone.” “Lewis Jr., 37, is now one of thousands of people dealing with the painful loss of a loved one who didn’t get a Covid-19 vaccine at a time when shots are readily available. Like many, his father was juggling multiple jobs and, and as his son put it, didn’t make the vaccine a top priority. His son had also put off getting the vaccine, feeling nervous about the unknowns. But he described his father’s death as a wake-up call, and he and his wife now have appointments to get the shot.‘You got to do what’s necessary to make sure you make it out of these times,’ he said. ‘Because my dad’s gone.’” [CNN, 6/17/21]
“Any Step We Take Towards Ending This Virus Is A Good Step.” “A California man who just tested positive for COVID-19 is opening up about his vaccine regrets. Now, his painful COVID battle has changed his mind about getting the vaccine… ‘I do regret not getting the vaccine already because I would not want to go through this. I would not want to go through what I’m going through right now,” he said. ‘And any step we take towards ending this virus is a good step.’” ABC7 News, 5/7/21]
“Even Though You May Not Think, Like Me, That You Will Get Very Sick, It Can Happen. It’s Out There And It Can Be Prevented.” “His confidence that regular hikes and a ‘good set of lungs’ meant that if he did get COVID-19, he ‘Would easily be able to recover quickly…In a voice strained from exertion on Monday, Hartle offers a message for other Utahns who think they don’t need the shots. ‘It’s OK to be a little bit unsure. It’s OK to be a little bit worried about it,’ he said. ‘Because in the long run, protecting yourself will be so much better. Even though you may not think, like me, that you will get very sick, it can happen. It’s out there and it can be prevented. It just takes a little courage to stand up and get it done.’” [Deseret News, 7/12/21]
“He Never Thought It Could Happen To Him.” “Rob Tersteeg, 46, died on June 3 from COVID-19 after weeks of treatments. He was not vaccinated against COVID-19, and as he laid on an ICU hospital bed at Trinity Health in Minot, he told his wife he needed to get the kids vaccinated as soon as possible…’He never thought it could happen to him,’ she said. ‘I want people to see what COVID really does. I want them to know that Rob received every COVID treatment, and it did not save him.’” [Grand Forks Herald, 7/12/21]
“It’s Heartbreaking. I Wish I Would’ve Made Better Choices For Her.” “Angela Morris’ daughter, Caia Morris Cooper, is fighting for her life at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. She said the hardest part about watching her child suffer is that the entire thing was preventable. ‘It’s very hard to see her in this situation. It’s very hard not knowing if she’s really going to come home anymore or not,’ Morris said. ‘It’s heartbreaking. I wish I would’ve made better choices for her.’ She has spent the last 12 days inside Arkansas Children’s Hospital watching her 13-year-old breathe with the help of a ventilator.” [THV11, 7/14/21]