SGMC sees increase in hospitalizations, positive COVID tests in vaccinees

VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) – COVID-19 cases are on the rise again after months of steady decline.

In South Georgia, hospitalizations have increased.

Health officials have said some people who have received a vaccine test positive.

“If there’s one message I would like to get across to our community that we care about, it’s’ it’s still here, it’s still a threat,” said Brian Dawson, South Georgia Chief Medical Officer. Medical Center (SGMC).

Cases were on a gradual decline until a few weeks ago, according to Dawson.

“At one point, we were treating about three to eight patients who were in the hospital. Overall and now we are managing around eight to 13 COVID patients in the hospital. Some of the trends we’ve seen during this time are that these patients appear to be a bit younger, ”Dawson said.

Dawson said the average age of people hospitalized last year was 64.

Now they are seeing more patients in their 40s and 50s.

Of those who recently tested positive, Dawson said about half of them were vaccinated.

He said vaccinated people have weaker symptoms while unvaccinated ones who look sicker are admitted more often.

“The last time I looked at the patients we had in the intensive care unit who were on ventilators, none of them had been vaccinated at this point,” Dawson said.

CDC data shows that as of June, of all the people who died from the virus, 99.2% were not vaccinated.

Dawson said the main defense against the spread is vaccination, especially now with the more transmissible Delta variant.

“Because of its higher transmissibility and the fact that it seems to have a bigger impact on people and a bit of resistance to the vaccine, that’s one of the things that worries us,” Dawson said.

Dawson said the Delta variants transmit 50% more than the normal strand.

Those who contract it are at double the risk of symptoms and hospitalizations.

Pfizer and Moderna have about 88% protection against this, according to Dawson.

When Pfizer approved vaccine eligibility for ages 12 and older, Dawson said the number of vaccinations in the younger age group had increased.

But now they’re low again.

He says vaccinations not only help stop the spread, but also prevent the virus from mutating.

As of Monday, SGMC has 16 people hospitalized according to their daily report.

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