SALT LAKE CITY – While all adults are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine in just a few weeks, experts say there is a reason why those with underlying health problems have priority. A kidney transplant from Utah shares why he is so grateful to have received the injection.
Holladay’s Greg Boss is considered to be at high risk. He has been married to his girlfriend for 25 years. Soon after they got back from their honeymoon, Boss started to feel bad.
He says his life changed in 2001, when he underwent a kidney transplant at just 34 years old.
“April 12. I remember the day. It snowed,” he said. “My wife’s younger brother donated one of his kidneys to me and we are celebrating 20 years next month.”
Kidney disease occurs in your family. “We are still fighting in this fight and trying to make it last as long as possible,” said Boss.
Boss is the father of three children and enjoyed good health until December 2019, when he ended up in the hospital again for six weeks after heart surgery. “I had a quadruple bypass and the valve repaired,” he said.
He was grateful just to be alive. “(I) left the hospital and went straight to the pandemic,” he said.
The entire Boss family took great precautions to protect you from getting COVID-19.
“They don’t want to be the ones who bring something to their dad and that’s why they had to sacrifice a little bit to keep me safe,” said Boss. “It was a challenge and we had to come together as a family and as a community to really help each other.”
Boss says he was very excited to receive the vaccine, qualifying with his underlying medical conditions. He said it was a surreal moment. “Now, all of a sudden, we have a vaccine a year later and I have a much better chance of fighting it,” he said.
Dr. Tamara Sheffield of Intermountain Healthcare, medical director of community health and prevention, said the state has prioritized people like Boss for a reason. “But there are other health conditions that put individuals at high risk of death, which is why we go through those most at risk and continue to progress to others,” she explained.
Sheffield says the state is following research and recommendations provided by the CDC. “As we get more supplies, it is easier for us to meet these recommendations,” she said, which now includes people with diabetes, kidney disease and a BMI of 30 or more.
As the vaccine soon becomes more widely available, she asks all Utahns to get the vaccine.
“We need these vaccines to protect us, but when you protect yourself, you protect other people too,” said Sheffield. “I will tell you that even healthy, strong people have had some serious complications. So it is important for you personally, but it is also for that individual in your neighborhood, or your friend or your friend’s mother who may be at risk. “
Sheffield says the COVID-19 vaccine is a sign of hope for changes in the community. She adds that the greatest gift of vaccination is peace of mind. “You don’t have to worry so much about provoking yourself or spreading disease to those you love,” she said.
Boss feels blessed to be healthy for his wife and three children. “I can’t live life in fear, right? I just have to do the best I can every day and try to make a difference in someone else’s life,” he said. “There is a reason why I am here and I am doing everything I can to make the best of it,” he said.
While the research is still ongoing, Sheffield said that experts predict that about 70% to 90% of Utahns will need to be vaccinated to delay transmission of COVID-19.
Sheffield encourages those who have difficulty getting a vaccination appointment to be patient. “Don’t worry, we will be getting a lot more vaccines week after week and you can easily, in a short period of time, have access. Just be patient and persistent, ”she said.
Intermountain Healthcare is a leading partner of the state in the distribution of vaccines. To register for an appointment, Utahns can also visit coronavirus.utah.gov.