UT Health San Antonio doctor says city’s COVID-19 vaccinations are up, risk level is down

SAINT ANTHONY – We are still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but in San Antonio, the level of risk has dropped and vaccinations have increased.

According to the most recent COVID-19 dashboard on the city’s website, we are at a moderate risk level. But, there are still a lot of questions regarding vaccines and booster shots.

That’s why Dr Robert Leverence, from UT Health San Antonio, joined Leading SA on Sunday to talk about San Antonio’s current situation in the pandemic.

“Right now, about two-thirds of San Antonians are vaccinated, so we’re making very good progress. But with the Delta virus, that’s not quite enough … We could have achieved two-thirds collective immunity before Delta, but Delta is much more contagious. So I always say we need to reach a vaccination rate close to 90%… the sooner we get there the better, ”said Dr Leverence.

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Dr Leverence said most experts believe COVID-19 will not go away and may be part of the future of the human condition.

“The good news is if we could tame it if you want to, like we did with the flu, then we can live with it, get a COVID vaccine once a year and otherwise live normal lives,” said Dr Leverence.

Regarding the possibility of another increase, Dr Leverence said schools could play a huge role, but so do vaccinations.

“The higher our vaccination rate, the less we would have that increase. And so I want to start an advocacy for people who have not yet been vaccinated, ”said Dr Leverence.

Regarding booster shots, Dr Leverence said the CDC’s website is the best place to check if you’re eligible. He is also excited about the possibility of vaccines for children.

“We hope that by the end of this month or the beginning of November, we will have vaccines available for children. And that’s important because once again they make up 20% of the population and now they congregate indoors every day during the week, ”said Dr Leverence.

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And more recently, Merck is trying to get approval for its antiviral pill, which could help fight COVID-19 as well.

“It could be a game-changer if we had a pill to treat Covid. I think of those who hesitate to get vaccinated. Yes, they may not want the vaccine when they feel good, but I think they would probably be willing to take a pill when they feel bad, ”said Dr Leverence.

You can watch Dr. Leverence’s full interview in the video player above.