Arizona doctor explains why 'vaccines work' amid COVID-19 delta variant surge

An Arizona doctor talks about how the COVID-19 vaccine is working, protecting those who might catch the virus from becoming hospitalized.

PHOENIX - The COVID-19 delta variant is making its way across the country, hitting hard in many states, including Arizona.

This week, Arizona hit the highest daily new COVID-19 cases since March. As cases continue to climb more and more, businesses are taking precautions against the variant.

"It’s the thing we hoped wasn’t coming," said Dr. Ross Goldberg, a doctor in the Phoenix area at Valleywise Health.

The variant has led to a surge in cases across the country with numbers once again beginning to skyrocket.

"It’s all the stuff we have been talking about why we want people vaccinated because this can occur if you let a virus go unchecked and that’s exactly what it’s doing," Goldberg said.

The virus mutated to become a more contagious variant, leading the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to recommend that even the fully vaccinated wear masks indoors.

Goldberg says it's especially important to protect the unvaccinated who are much more at risk.

"Vaccines work, right. They protect you. Everyone who has gotten the vaccine, while they still can get the delta variant, the large majority of them do not get sick. The large majority do not go into the hospital. The large majority do not die. Most of the patients we are seeing in hospitals now are the unvaccinated," he explained.

Those who are vaccinated still have a large enough viral load to give that to other people and that's why he says we are seeing some restaurants other businesses reinstate their mask policies, even for the vaccinated.