COVID-19 is still here and there’s a push to get more people immunized against the life-threatening virus.

With demand for the COVID-19 vaccine appearing to have plateaued, government officials and medical professionals are urging everyone to carefully consider the benefits of getting inoculated.

Dr. David Tayloe is the founder of Goldsboro Pediatrics, and he has over 30 years of experience dealing with vaccines.

While some worry about the efficacy of the COVID vaccine, Dr. Tayloe says it is 100% effective at keeping you out of the hospital, ICU and cemetery.

He says there are often “breakthrough cases” with all vaccines because of different variations of the human immune system.

For instance, some children are still at risk for catching measles despite having received two doses of the measles vaccine.

Dr. Tayloe explains the speed at which the vaccine was given an Emergency Use Authorization made people nervous.

However, the COVID vaccine was still tested on the same amount of people — it was just done over two months as opposed to the typical six month period.

Dr. Tayloe says the COVID vaccine is made up of dead (inert) proteins, and it does not have any live germs, DNA or RNA.

Tayloe considers it our “Civic Duty” to get vaccinated to keep those at high-risk safe.

Those at high-risk include anyone over age 65.

Tayloe says he attends church with plenty of older residents, and he takes the flu vaccine every year to help keep them safe.

Dr. Tayloe says, unless the vast majority of citizens take the vaccine, the coronavirus will keep circulating and endangering lives.

According to figures last week from the Wayne County Health Department, about 30% of Wayne County’s population had received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine while 26% were considered fully vaccinated.