HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Some immunocompromised people in The Tennessee Valley are concerned about catching the Delta COVID-19 variant.
People that are going through cancer treatments or those that have had organ transplants are classified as immunocompromised by the CDC. Some of these people are worried that if they don't receive a booster shot, they could catch the Delta COVID variant.
Health experts warn that the Delta variant is more dangerous than any strain of COVID we've seen during the pandemic thus far. It spreads nearly twice as fast as other strains.
Some have taken matters into their own hands by sneaking off to different counties or states to get a third dose of the vaccine. When a person gets the vaccine, they receive a small white card with their vaccine details on it. State health officials also keep a record of vaccinated individuals in their system.
"The odds are, the vaccinated people in the hospital probably caught it from somebody who chose not to be vaccinated," said Huntsville Hospital CEO Jeff Samz.
Health officials suggest that the best way to slow the spread is to get vaccinated.
"We don't have any information that a third dose is harmful," said Dr. Karen Landers with the Alabama Department of Public Health.
