Dr. Schad Talks About COVID19 Vaccine

Hi, I'm Dr. Todd Schad. I have been an obstetrician and gynecologist in the Sauk Prairie community for over 19 years.

As a result of this, I have had the privilege to be a part of thousands of first birthday parties and many happy birthday songs. This great privilege has also allowed me to meet and participate in very special times in a family's life.

Our current pandemic has been stressful for all of us. It has stressed the healthcare system, the school system, and each and every one of our families. The most frustrating part of the pandemic for me, has been the recent improvement in containing the virus that was then followed by our current significant increase in cases due to the Delta variant. We were just starting to enjoy more freedom.

As many of you know, the Delta variant is causing people to become more ill and also affecting younger individuals. I know there's a lot of misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines out there, but please don't believe everything you hear.

I understand that this topic is very divisive, and I don't want you to view this as propaganda, I believe you have the right to choose. But to make that decision, you need to have accurate information.

If you're not vaccinated and have questions or concerns, please talk to your provider.

If you are a woman who is planning to get pregnant, I can tell you, the COVID-19 during pregnancy can be very dangerous, and we have seen this in our own patients at Sauk Prairie Healthcare. COVID-19 vaccines are safe for breastfeeding mothers, and do not harm a woman's ability to become pregnant. With the new highly contagious Delta variant, time is critical.

Even though recent data shows the virus can be carried by people who have been vaccinated, the severity of illness for those folks is greatly reduced. Recent data shows that you are eight times more likely to have symptoms from COVID if you are not vaccinated, and 25 times more likely to be hospitalized if you are not vaccinated.

The way I look at this, is the vaccine is not just for me, it is really to help protect those that cannot protect themselves. Those individuals are the immunocompromised and all the children in our communities under age 12 that do not have the opportunity to choose whether or not to be vaccinated.

So please, the sooner you get vaccinated, the sooner you, your family, and our community are protected. Thank you.