San Antonio Baptist Health System Hospitals See Increase in COVID-19 Hospitalizations Among Young Adults

SAINT ANTHONY – Local hospitals are seeing an increase in hospitalizations for COVID-19 among young adults.

Hospital officials said most of these patients had not been vaccinated.

“All of our facilities see COVID patients and take appropriate precautions to protect patients as well as staff and family members,” said Dr. Lynette Watkins, Chief Medical Officer of the Baptist Health System.

Watkins said hospital officials have seen adults in their 20s and 30s get sick and most of them are not vaccinated.

“We realize that vaccination rates have slowed down in our community and really across the country and that we are seeing more cases,” Watkins said.

Even those vaccinated have tested positive for COVID-19, including comedian Gabriel Iglesias.

Iglesias announced Thursday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and canceled the remainder of his performance in San Antonio. Iglesias said he had aches and chills, but otherwise he feels pretty good.

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Watkins said there are hospital patients who are vaccinated and have COVID-19, but it’s a small percentage. She said their symptoms are very different from those who are not vaccinated.

“Those who are vaccinated and need to be hospitalized for predominantly milder presentations, they are not necessarily in the intensive care unit. They don’t necessarily require closer monitoring or oxygenation or supplemental oxygenation, ”Watkins said.

Watkins said the message was clear.

“Vaccinate for yourselves, for your families, for your friends and for your community,” she said.