LOUISVILLE, Ky. — We know that COVID-19 hits close to home for many of us, whether we have survived it or even lost someone we know to the virus. One Kentucky woman lost her sister to the virus, and is now urging others to get vaccinated.
What You Need To Know
- Iesha Johnson lost her unvaccinated sister to COVID-19, and now warns others to get vaccinated
- According to doctors, vaccine hesitancy remains one of the biggest roadblocks in preventing the spread
- 27-year-old Jazzmon Avant thought that she had a cold at first
- Iesha Johnson hopes her story will reach others that are hesitant about the vaccine
Just weeks before she received her second and final dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, Iesha Johnson lost her sister Jazzmon Avant to the virus.
"Life is definitely too short, and tomorrow is not promised," Johnson said. "Just happened almost overnight it seems like, but she’s still strong, still strong person and she fought the best she could."
Johnson said Avant was admitted into a Texas hospital after she started to feel unwell, originally thinking it was just a cold.
"She went to the doctor, got tested, they said she had it and said she had to be admitted," Johnson explained.
The mother of one, who was not vaccinated, died within a matter of days.
"It caught everyone off guard because literally, you were just talking to her," Johnson said. "She was just up and laughing and then we get a phone call that she’s gone."
The 29-year-old said if this can happen to her family, it can affect anyone.
"Unfortunately, COVID-19 does not care how healthy you are and how well you live. If it comes, it comes," she said.
Johnson admitted that at first, she was also unsure about how fast some of the vaccines were produced but got the shot after doing more research.
That's not uncommon. According to doctors, vaccine hesitancy remains one of the biggest roadblocks in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
"I think people want to make the decision based on people saying, 'Oh I’m not getting the vaccine, I don’t trust it, I don’t do that.' So they’re just like, 'Oh I’m not either.' And it's like no, you shouldn’t do that," Johnson said.
She's now determined to do her part, encouraging others to take this virus seriously and get the shot.
"Don’t wait until you lose someone to get vaccinated," Johnson said. "Just protect yourself, protect your family."
In honor of Jazzmon, Johnson's family is planning to get together for a celebration of life.