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(CNN) – The day Candace and Terry Ayers received their second COVID-19 vaccination in early March was a day of hope and excitement for the whole family.
“I took my parents for that second jab, and we were all so excited,” said their son, Marc Ayers. “We are a family that believes in science. We believe in masks and we believe in vaccines. We were ready to go back to normal.
But her mother, Candace Ayers, died nearly six months later following a July trip with her husband to Mississippi. Her death certificate indicates that she died of COVID-19.
His obituary, in the local newspaper, the State Journal Register, in Springfield, Illinois, reads in part:
“Candace Cay (Kruger) Ayers, 66, of Springfield, died on September 3, 2021 at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois. She was preceded in death by more than 4,531,799 other people infected with COVID-19. She was vaccinated but was infected by others who chose not to be. The cost was his life.
The tally represents the total number of coronavirus deaths worldwide.
Marc Ayers believes his mother was infected when she visited Mississippi, where vaccination rates remain among the lowest in the country. According to the state’s health department, only 42 percent of Mississippi’s population was fully vaccinated as of mid-September.
“All of this could have been avoided,” Ayers said. “It could have been avoided by a few acts of kindness. They were in a state that had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. Getting vaccinated and wearing a mask for others… if that had been done, she would be here today. “
Full vaccination gave confidence to loved ones
Because Candace had an underlying illness, her family was reluctant to let her leave town.
“My mother suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis. We were always the most worried that she would get it because she was immunocompromised, ”Ayers said. “We were wondering if they should have traveled.”
“But things were going so well,” he continued, “and since they were fully vaccinated, we just didn’t think they would go to Mississippi. The Delta variant had just hit the radar. The cases breakups were rare at this point and our worst nightmare has come true.
Groundbreaking cases occur when a person tests positive for COVID-19 at least 14 days after being fully immunized, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Such infections can cause illness with symptoms, and some people may not have any symptoms. Research has shown that if people get infected after vaccination, they usually get a milder case.
Between early April and mid-July – as the Delta variant gained dominance – fully vaccinated people accounted for 8% of all COVID-19 cases, 8% of hospitalizations and 9% of deaths, according to a CDC study released this week. this month.
And Candace Ayers was especially vulnerable because she was older and had an underlying health problem. About 70% of rupture cases leading to hospitalization were in adults 65 years and older and about 87% of rupture cases resulting in death were in adults 65 years and older, according to CDC data.
The Ayers family are struggling to deal with Candace’s death and wanted to try and inspire others to get vaccinated and wear masks, Marc Ayers said. The daily sharing of COVID-19 death figures around the world in his obituary was meant to give people pause, he said.
“This was to illustrate that it’s not just a problem limited to the United States, but that it has a global impact,” Ayers said. “My mother was a fighter. She kept on fighting and fighting and fighting. We wanted to send a point.
The family received positive and negative comments about the obituary, he said.
“It was really wonderful to hear from friends and strangers regarding the obituary. Because of our history, ”Ayers said. “People told us they were getting vaccinated. “
“Of course there are negative comments too, but the majority have been positive,” he added.
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