Alabama Doctor's Viral Post Describes Treating Unvaccinated, Dying Patients

An Alabama doctor’s viral post details how COVID is now needlessly killing unvaccinated people

The COVID-19 pandemic isn’t over. Sure, for people who are vaccinated, life has become sort of normal again as it’s now mostly safe to do normal things, like see friends, and eat out. But nearly half of the U.S. population is still unvaccinated, and with the delta variant sweeping the nation, experts have been warning us that people who have failed to protect themselves are now at the greatest risk. A viral post from a doctor in Alabama, one of the country’s current COVID hotspots, tells the heartbreaking story of how people are still dying, despite there being lifesaving vaccines widely available.

Dr. Brytney Cobia shared her post on Facebook, describing the patients in her hospital who are put on ventilators and who die from the virus because they’re unvaccinated.

“I’m admitting young healthy people to the hospital with very serious COVID infections,” she wrote. “One of the last things they do before they’re intubated is beg me for the vaccine. I hold their hand and tell them that I’m sorry, but it’s too late.”

Cobia continued, “A few days later when I call time of death, I hug their family members and I tell them the best way to honor their loved one is to go get vaccinated and encourage everyone they know to do the same. They cry. And they tell me they didn’t know. They thought it was a hoax. They thought it was political. They thought because they had a certain blood type or a certain skin color they wouldn’t get as sick. They thought it was ‘just the flu’. But they were wrong. And they wish they could go back. But they can’t.”

There is a bright spot in this heartbreaking post. Cobia said these cases are convincing some of the unvaccinated to get their shots.

“So they thank me and they go get the vaccine,” she wrote. “And I go back to my office, write their death note, and say a small prayer that this loss will save more lives.”

Alongside her own story, Cobia shared a post from another doctor, David B Wilhelm, who echoed what public health officials have been saying for weeks now: that delta is making COVID-19 a pandemic of unvaccinated people.

“Delta variant Covid is now present in all 50 states, and Covid hospital admissions are up nationwide about 40%. Delta is more contagious and is attacking more aggressively in younger age groups compared to previous Covid strains,” he wrote. “I will repeat my statement from last week: If you haven’t had Covid and are unvaccinated, there is a significant likelihood you’ll get Delta variant Covid in the next 60-90 days.”

Wilhelm added, “If that offends any of you then so be it. There is no more time to sugar coat this.”

Vaccines are readily available in all U.S. states. To find out how to find a vaccine near you, visit vaccines.gov.