Florida Doctor Makes COVID Vaccine Plea, Says Children Are Watching Their Parents Die

A doctor in Florida has made an emotional plea for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as he is witnessing children having to say goodbye to their parents killed by the disease.

Dr. Timothy Regan, chief medical officer for Polk County's Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, said that his team is also seeing "young, healthy people that are having very bad outcomes."

His facility has expanded its emergency room capacity as it cares for 275 hospital patients—higher than its previous peak of 180 in January 2021, WFLA reported—and he has urged people who were uncertain about vaccination that "this is real."

"We are not fearmongers, we are not trying to scare you but here is reality and this is what is sad; we are bringing eight- and ten-year-olds to the bedside of their parents to say their last goodbyes," he told a news conference Thursday addressed by healthcare leaders.

"We are having teenagers in the ICU say goodbye to their parents. This is what is sad and this is easily preventable," he said visibly moved, "so to Polk County, I encourage you to get vaccinated."

His plea comes as Polk County recorded nearly a thousand new infections on Wednesday, which is the most in a single day during the pandemic, according to county health department director Dr. Joy Jackson.

While there has been a small increase in COVID jabs being administered in the county, only 54 percent of the eligible population has been vaccinated, Jackson said.

She also said parents should know that children can both get and spread COVID-19 and encouraged mask use among the young.

Across the state, the health infrastructure is under strain with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reporting Thursday that Florida had recorded more than 20,133 new COVID cases the previous day, the second-highest single-day increase during the pandemic.

It comes as Governor Ron DeSantis continues to face criticism over his stance to ban mask mandates in schools and local governments, which he says impinges on the freedoms of Floridians.

The Republican governor, considered to be a GOP primary contender in 2024, has argued that vaccines are the best way to fight the pandemic.

"We must continue this stride to expand vaccination rates across eligible age groups," his spokesperson told Newsweek in an emailed statement on Thursday.

"As stated by Governor DeSantis, these vaccines are saving lives, and reducing the mortality of COVID-19," the statement added.

The graphic below provided by Statista highlights the low number of COVID cases among those who are fully vaccinated.