CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Doctors are the Medical University of South Carolina say COVID-19 case numbers are flattening across the state right now, but we're not out of the woods just yet.
In fact, doctors haven't yet ruled out the possibility of a spike during the holidays, just like we saw in 2020. So why would there be a winter surge if more people are getting vaccinated and many have already had COVID-19?
Let's connect the dots.
Doctors say there are a few reasons. First, your immunity against COVID-19 doesn't last forever.
We still don't know how long natural immunity from a previous COVID-19 infection can protect you. And when it comes to the vaccine, we've already seen breakthrough infections as immunity wanes over time.
And a lot of people aren't vaccinated and that includes kids under 12 who still can't get the shot.
Pediatricians at MUSC say the delta variant is causing more severe illness in children putting them at higher risk than they were last winter.
Those doctors say out of all of their young hospitalized COVID-19 patients, none of them, not even the teenagers, were fully vaccinated on arrival. This is further evidence that the key to preventing a winter surge is getting more people vaccinated at every age group.
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