'COVID Ravaged My Beautiful Daughter's Body': Sutter County Nurses On Mission To Get Everyone Vaccinated
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Laura and Greg Roberts rolled up their sleeves for the COVID-19 vaccine. Both are nurses at River Valley Care Center in Live Oak and they only wish the vaccine had come a little sooner.
"COVID ravaged my beautiful daughter's body. It wasn't something any mom or dad should see even being nurses," Laura said. "It was very horrifying to watch what it did to my daughter's body."
Just last month, their daughter Charity died from COVID-19 – only 44 years old with an underlying health condition.
"Then her kidneys failed and I had to give them permission to put her on continual dialysis," Greg said.
A heartbreaking loss has now prompted a mission. The Roberts are urging everyone to get vaccinated the minute it's available.
"I was honestly on the fence about the vaccine," Greg said. "I was doing my research and that's what I would encourage people to do."
Sutter Health sent an email to patients saying they'll be rolling out the vaccine to those 75 and older as early as next week. UC Davis Health did not set a timeline, but it also announced it hopes to begin vaccinating high-risk patients very soon.
"It's just like any other shot," Greg said. "You get a shot in the arm, so I got mine in the left arm."
The Roberts are hoping their story pushes others to get the vaccine.
"What are a few side effects afterward? So, you get a bit of a fever, your arm hurts or your body aches. I would give that in a heartbeat to have Charity back," Laura said.
"And I never talked to my daughter again," Greg said. "I had to take my grandchildren in to say goodbye to their mom."
There has been resistance to the vaccine. The state is doing a survey among healthcare workers to see how many are refusing it.