MACON, Ga. — More Georgians are getting the COVID-19 vaccine, but some of them are still getting the coronavirus. They call them "breakthrough cases."
"As soon as it started happening, you had your small number of people that were anti-, but so many folks were talking about being responsible, so I got vaccinated as soon as I could and went and got tested every Monday," said Mike Seekins, owner of Famous Mike's in Macon.
Seekins is doing his part to help lower the spread of the virus.
"My whole team, my staff, we came to together and really just made an effort to do it the right way and it worked for us," said Seekins.
Dr. Jennifer Hoffman, an Infectious Disease Specialist at Coliseum Medical Centers, said that what she knows for sure is that 99% of deaths are from unvaccinated individuals.
Hoffman said, "Breakthrough infections with Delta and vaccinated people seem to, by and large, be quite mild, so while vaccinated people may still catch a mild case of COVID, they are very unlikely to end up in the hospital or to die."
Hoffman said that vaccinations will also help to prevent the spread of COVID-19. She also said your symptoms should be less severe only if you're vaccinated.
"If you get vaccinated, you are less likely to catch Delta. If you do catch Delta, your viral levels are going to be lower. Therefore, you are less likely to transmit it to other people," said Hoffman.
Seekins said he knows that there is a chance of getting COVID-19 again, but said it's important to do what's right to help protect others.
"My employees' health is important. If I transmit it to one of them, they're like family. Plus, my children work here. My son and daughter work here when they are not in college," said Seekins.