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Muskegon Co. commissioner's stance on vaccine flips after 12-day battle with COVID-19

Democratic Muskegon County Commissioner Susie Hughes tells 13 ON YOUR SIDE that not getting vaccinated "was a mistake."

MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. — Mercy Health Muskegon continues operating at full and at times beyond full capacity. That's happening as hospitalization rates for unvaccinated members of the community continue to climb.

Muskegon County, like most counties in the state, are in a fourth COVID-19 surge.

34 COVID-related deaths were reported on the Muskegon County Health Department's COVID-19 dashboard in November. Since the start of the pandemic, the dashboard shows 438 COVID-related deaths.

Democratic Muskegon County Commissioner Susie Hughes considers herself fortunate her 12-day battle with COVID-19 didn't add to the number of deaths in the county. 

Hughes, speaking by Zoom from her home Thursday, told 13 ON YOUR SIDE she now wishes that she got the vaccine when it was first made available.

"I hope that I did not put anybody in jeopardy," Hughes said. "I'm sorry to say it got political." 

Hughes, who represents the county's third commission district, wasn't a vocal opponent of the vaccine, but she didn't speak out in support of it either.

Hughes says she often took precautions, wore a mask and even canceled gatherings with constituents over COVID concerns. However, she never got the vaccine, which she now considers that a big mistake.

"I should have been vaccinated," she said. "I would encourage you now to save your life and maybe somebody else's to get vaccinated." 

Hughes says the COVID-19 symptoms hit her in mid-November, reaching a point her husband made the decision to drive her to the emergency department. By the time they arrived, she was so weak she had to be wheeled into the hospital. 

"I remember my husband saying we're going," she said. "The next thing I remember is I was in the hospital. I didn't even know if I was alive or dead."

Hughes says she's not sure where she was exposed to COVID-19. During her time at Mercy Health she could tell there were other COVID patients on the same floor in worse shape than her. 

"All night long all you hear is code blue room so and so," she said. "People there took such wonderful care of me, I know it's the only reason I made it. I almost lost the rest of my life." 

Unvaccinated people continue to make up the majority of those infected with COVID-19, including severe cases of the infection. Around 45% of the state remains unvaccinated, according to federal data.

New data from the Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) proves that the majority of Michigan residents severely sick with COVID-19 are unvaccinated. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and MHA are pleading with residents to get vaccinated for their own health, the safety of Michigan’s health care personnel and to avoid additional strain on healthcare systems that are already stretched and struggling to respond.

“The data is clear: If you are unvaccinated, you are risking hospitalization or death,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “We have a safe and effective vaccine that is quite literally saving lives. Michigan residents absolutely need to get vaccinated to keep their loved ones safe this holiday.”

Based on recent data from most Michigan health systems, MHA has found that three out of four COVID patients are unvaccinated (76%), 87% of COVID ICU patients are unvaccinated and 88% of COVID ventilator patients are unvaccinated.

In addition to getting vaccinated and wearing masks, health officials say community members should get tested for COVID-19, especially before gatherings and also maintain physically distancing from others and avoiding crowds.

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