PHOENIX — Nineteen family members are now in isolation after all of them contracted COVID-19 while visiting at a recent event memorializing a dying relative. Even more shocking, the majority of them had been vaccinated.
“I just wanted to go home and see my mother for the last time,” said 68-year-old Mary Vigil.
Last weekend, Vigil flew to Texas from Arizona, joining a few dozen relatives to say goodbye to her 89-year-old mother.
“Now all my mom's funeral, the burial, service, everything’s postponed,” said Vigil.
That's because, after a few days of gathering and mourning together prior to the services, one by one, they began getting sick.
“We just took our masks off, and we were hugging, kissing each other, you know how it is with large families that are close, and we wanted the comfort,” said Vigil through tears.
Nearly all of them were vaccinated, so masking and social distancing was no longer required.
Sadly, now 19 of them have the coronavirus anyway, one person as old as 87, another as young as 10.
“I never thought that since I was vaccinated that maybe I would get it,” said Vigil, who was received her second shot in March.
The delta variant continues to spread across the country, causing breakthrough cases and severely infecting those who’ve chosen not to get the vaccine.
Vigil is now isolated in a room at her mother's home, providing this message for anyone who will listen.
“Please wear your masks, this is not a joke, you do not want to get sick,” said Vigil.