SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) - Two years ago this week the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, upending and taking lives around the world.
In California, Kaiser Permanente marked the occasion by reinforcing the push for vaccinations, this as the state shifts towards an endemic stage with the virus.
Death was at Pastor Mark Wallace's doorstep in April 2020. For 28 days, he was hospitalized with COVID-19.
He was placed into a medically induced coma and required a ventilator.
"My son made this comment and said we thought we lost you, and my first words off of the ventilator were, 'I'm not done,'" Mark Wallace said.
Pastor Wallace credits Kaiser's staff in Fresno for saving his life and although his recovery continues today, during a virtual news conference looking back on the pandemic.
He stresses that although he built up natural immunity from the virus through infection, he has received all of his COVID-19 shots and encourages others to do the same.
"It was a terrible, horrible process. I totally, totally believe everybody oughta be vaccinated," Wallace said.
Infectious disease specialist and the clinical lead for kaiser's coronavirus response, Dr. Stephen Parodi says the virus will likely be around indefinitely, adding that the world will have to learn to live with it.
"I would not be surprised if COVID-19 vaccination becomes apart of either a near-term or long-term annual vaccinations,” Parodi said.
Dr. Parodi says long-term COVID syndrome is a real health concern and that the best way to prevent it is through inoculation.
Pastor Wallace says forgoing vaccination is not worth it.
"It just makes sense to go and be vaccinated. If it will help, dear God, I never want anyone to go through what I did," Wallace said.
Kaiser says more than 80% of its Northern California members are fully vaccinated, adding that, in the United States, nearly one million people have died from COVID-19.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/hZxB2ug
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