Madison Erhardt
A Kelowna man asks the public to get vaccinated after his mother, 54, died after contracting COVID-19.
Aurey Harris says his mother, Kim Harris, was admitted to Kelowna General Hospital on Aug. 11 after testing positive for COVID-19 and developing pneumonia.
The next day she passed away.
“They said she might have a 50 percent chance of survival if she was put on a ventilator, but as things got worse, there was little chance it would make a difference,” Harris said.
Harris says his mother had health problems which he believes were a factor in the severity of the disease.
“She has had asthma all of her life, and with some other health side effects – just poor general health – there have been many blows to her, to her lungs. “
Harris says his mother was not vaccinated and lived in the same house with nine other family members, who were not all fully vaccinated.
Aurey Harris, 25, says two members from his mother’s house were COVID positive before she contracted the virus. He said the house had separate suites and that Kim Harris lived alone.
“Due to her limited mobility and her home work and ordering all her belongings, she was very isolated and the vaccination was in no rush for her.”
Harris says he’s double-vaccinated and hopes his mother’s story will inspire others to get the vaccination.
Vaccination dramatically reduces the chance of contracting COVID-19, and in the event of a breakthrough, a vaccinated person is 25 times less likely to be hospitalized.
The other two members who tested positive should recover.
