A fully vaccinated California radiologist is warning others after he and his wife contracted breakthrough cases of COVID-19.
Eugene Choi, MD, recently tested positive for the virus about six months after receiving his second Pfizer dose. The physician is concerned about further breakthrough cases in the coming weeks as safety measures lift.
“Next week, Los Angeles is going to open, so there will probably be less masking, less social distancing," he told Fox News’ Los Angeles affiliate. “Probably more people that are [fully vaccinated] will get sick, and this may become a bigger, bigger problem down the line.”
At least 933 people have reported cases of COVID in Los Angeles County after being vaccinated, or roughly 0.03% of all vaccinated residents. Despite testing positive, Choi still encourages others to get vaccinated, acknowledging that his symptoms would have been much worse without it.
“It works for the majority of the population. On the basis of data, most people won't get sick. But it's still possible,” he told the TV station.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.