Covid survivor: I got info from wrong source

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Clarksville antheral who refrained from getting a COVID-19 vaccine says accusation connected societal media astir killed him.

"I didn't inquire questions astir COVID earlier I got sick," said Randy Gieger. "I didn't amended myself. I listened to societal media."

Randy Gieger was admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center astatine the opening of June with COVID-19. He was determination for 7 weeks. Four were spent hooked up to a ventilator.

"They enactment video tablets successful beforehand of maine mundane and I could perceive my household talking to maine and those are the things that got maine done it," Randy Gieger said.

When Gieger became eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, helium and his woman chose not to get vaccinated. They didn't deliberation COVID-19 would find them. Social media convinced them of it.

"We stayed to ourselves. We wore our masks similar we were expected to and [thinking] conscionable that's not going to impact me. I'm camping, playing with my children and going astir my business, this isn't going to impact me, but erstwhile it hits you it affects you. It is simply a beingness changing process," Randy Gieger said.

Gieger is presently incapable to enactment and faces a agelong recovery.

"By not educating myself connected it [my family] went done a ton of heartfelt heartache and fiscal struggles due to the fact that of my decisions," Randy Gieger said.

His woman Michelle is home-bound with him.

"He inactive needs assistance regular with mundane things we instrumentality for granted, similar eating," said Michelle Gieger. "He's conscionable getting to the constituent wherever helium tin provender himself, get up and get successful the ablution by himself, but helium needs assistance getting retired and getting dried off."

The mates and their children are present afloat vaccinated.

"Randy has ever been beardown and steadfast and active. I knew if it got him that I could beryllium sick too," Michelle Gieger said.

The Giegers are begging their chap agrarian and blimpish neighbors to reevaluate wherever they're getting accusation astir COVID-19.

"Do not perceive to Facebook. Do not perceive to immoderate of the media outlets and antithetic things due to the fact that determination are truthful galore antithetic things said. Go to your doctor. Listen to what your doc says. If your doc tells you to instrumentality it determination is simply a crushed for taking it," Randy Geiger said.

Last week, COVID cases roseate again successful Tennessee. The Department of Health reports the authorities is seeing the highest level of hospitalizations since February.