Should vaccinated people get COVID tested? Horry doctors answer your questions on Delta
As the Delta variant spreads, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommend people in Horry County wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status, leaving people who have been vaccinated wondering what else they might need to change to minimize the spread.
The highly contagious Delta variant now accounts for well over half of the coronavirus cases reported in South Carolina, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control estimates. It’s also possible for vaccinated people to be infected with the virus, often called a “breakthrough case.” Though the chances of a vaccinated person catching the virus are much lower than an unvaccinated person being infected, it’s still possible for people with rare breakthrough cases to spread the virus to others.
So, what should vaccinated people keep in mind as Delta spreads and Horry County hospitalizations are up? The Sun News spoke with doctors to answer your top questions.
If I’m vaccinated, how concerned should I be with breakthrough cases?
Local hospitals have seen a spike in inpatient COVID cases, concerning doctors who still have dark memories of previous surges before vaccines were widely available. Among the spike, most of the hospitalized patients have been unvaccinated. At Tidelands Health, 34 patients were hospitalized with the coronavirus Monday, 30 of whom hadn’t been vaccinated, according to spokesperson Dawn Bryant. Conway Medical Center had 30 hospitalized cases Monday, made up of 22 people who hadn’t received the vaccine, according to spokesperson Allyson Floyd.
But, breakthrough cases still happen.
“There are things such as vaccine breakthroughs,” said Dr. Gerald Harmon, vice president of medical affairs at Tidelands Health. “Maybe as much as 10% of the population.”
If you do get COVID-19 despite being vaccinated, the chances of being hospitalized are much lower, according to the CDC and DHEC. That’s played out in the caseloads at local hospitals, too, and vaccinated people typically require less extreme medical attention even if they are hospitalized.
“Even the breakthrough cases we’re seeing that are not requiring admission are usually very, very mild symptoms to no symptoms at all,” said Dr. Paul Richardson, chief medical officer at Conway Medical Center. “These very few that we’ve seen admitted, we’re just seeing the beginning, but they’re not requiring a whole lot of intensive care or anything of that nature.”
I’ve been vaccinated. Should I be getting tested for COVID-19?
People who show symptoms of COVID-19 should be tested, according to Harmon.
If a vaccinated person has been exposed to a person who had the virus, it’s not necessary to quarantine right away, but the exposure should be in the back of their mind, Harmon said. Three to five days later, it’s a good idea to get a test.
“More importantly, if I started getting any symptoms, even though I’ve been vaccinated I could be in that 10% or less population that could have picked it up,” Harmon said. “At that point really I should ... quarantine myself, seek medical care if necessary.”
Richardson echoed Harmon’s advice, saying it’s important to keep in touch with your primary care doctor if you’re concerned.
Do I need to be wearing a mask inside, even if I’ve been vaccinated?
Horry and Georgetown counties have both been identified by the CDC with a high spread of the coronavirus. Under the updated guidance from the CDC, that means people in both counties should wear masks indoors.
While masks haven’t been required by local governments in the Myrtle Beach area in months, and the CDC issued guidance in May that vaccinated people could go maskless in most scenarios, it’s best to listen to the updated guidance and choose to cover your face, Richardson said.
“I think it’s not a bad idea,” Richardson said. “I mean, we know that these do work, and contrary to that social media hype, we know that they do work.”
This story was originally published August 4, 2021 at 10:00 AM.
