Vaccine

Reasons Some San Diegans Will Still Wear a Mask

When you see people still wearing masks, you may wonder, why?

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There are many reasons people are still wearing masks. They may not be vaccinated because they can't be.  

“I’m not vaccinated, and I wouldn't want to risk my life for not wearing a mask,” said one 11-year-old girl who is not yet eligible to be vaccinated.

But there is a segment of the population that is really at risk and needs to wear a mask.

Doctor William Tseng is with Kaiser Permanente and is taking the lead in terms of getting people vaccinated.

“I tell my patients who are immune-compromised, ‘Hey look, if you’re going outside to the crowded areas, make sure you protect yourself, wear a mask,'" Tseng said.

Tseng said people at high risk including organ transplant patients, people with cancer who are having chemotherapy treatments, and others need to be careful.

“In fact, we do admit patients who have a low, low immune system that they get fevers just spontaneously because they can't fight off diseases that normally we would be able to fight on our own,” he said. 

“Even though I’ve been vaccinated, I've been sick for more than a year,” said one woman who was wearing a mask at a SeaWorld show. “So, I want to protect myself. I don't want to get sick.”  

Tseng is taking the lead at Kaiser in terms of getting people vaccinated. He said while people were wearing masks to protect themselves against the coronavirus, the number of people dying from the flu in San Diego dropped significantly, from triple figures --- to two deaths.

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