CINCINNATI (WKRC) - As Americans move into one of the busiest travel weeks of the year, a new survey shows people aren’t doing as much to try to protect against respiratory illnesses, which are climbing right now.
People are letting down their guard when it comes to COVID-19, the flu and other respiratory illnesses going around, according to a national survey from Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center.
The survey shows 87% of people say they’re trying to avoid spreading illnesses, but 33% think people’s vaccine decisions don’t impact others. They also think they don’t need vaccines if they themselves are not at risk.
But Ohio State doctors are reminding everyone that many young people have complications of coronavirus, including Joe James.
"For the first six days, my symptoms were pretty much just like everybody's, just the flu. And I thought I was going to be okay. And then on the seventh day, I woke up extremely short of breath and thought I needed to go to the hospital,” James said.
Dr. Megan Conroy reminded everyone of the impact of vaccines.
"Your vaccination status and getting vaccinated helps protect all of the people around you, the people that you come into contact with. And so, for that vulnerable person, having the people that are one degree away from them and the people they encounter, and the people they encounter, and the people they encounter all vaccinated, helps protect that person who can't get vaccinated, or who's very vulnerable to the disease,” said Dr. Conroy, a pulmonologist at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center.
James is now a vaccine advocate.
"It may not prevent it, but you're probably not going spend 210 days in the hospital and be left with feet that don't work, a paralyzed right diaphragm and a lovely scar on your neck,” he said.
Those are a few things to consider as a jump in viruses is expected during the holiday season.
