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Georgia health officials warn of a post-holiday COVID-19 surge

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Updated  January 1, 2021 11:48pm EST
Coronavirus in Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta

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ATLANTA - The United States is starting off 2021 by setting an alarming record.

Officials report the total number of confirmed cases has surpassed 20 million nationwide,  according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Georgia is starting the New Year with a new record as over 8700 COVID-19 cases were reported Friday.

This is the biggest single-day reporting of cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

"By this time next year COVID might be a bad memory for us but that’s not right now. Right now, COVID is my worst nightmare," Dr. Lynn Paxton said.

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Health officials say people should trust the COVID-19 vaccine

Fulton County health officials say people should trust the coronavirus vaccine to be safe and people should not mistrust it.

Fulton County District Health Director Dr. Lynn Paxton warns of a possible surge following the holiday season.

"The coronavirus does not take holidays," Dr. Paxton said.

Many people chose to bring in 2021 surrounded by others and ignoring top health officials' recommendation to stay home.

It is a decision experts believe increases the risk of spread.

"We are actually finding the small group gatherings are fueling this. It’s not necessarily people going out to a large thing," Paxton said.

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Dr. Paxton said there’s good news as vaccines continue to be distributed. Paxton calls the vaccines 95% effective.

"A lot of people who are very afraid of taking the vaccine because they have a worry of theoretical risk of side effects," Paxton said.

Paxton described side effects could range from soreness at the injection site to a mild fever.

"I will take having a pain in my arm for two days of feeling like I have the flu for a day or so. I will take that any day of the week and twice on Sunday if it’s going to prevent me from getting COVID," Dr. Paxton said.

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Paxton acknowledged there’s a big fear in the African-American community as many distrust the vaccine after the Tuskegee experiment in 1932.

Formally known as the "Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male," the study took place for 40 years and only was ended when news reports uncovered the patients involved did not provide informed consent to participate, in some cases were purposely misled, and were not adequately treated for their illness. A federal government panel found the experiment was "ethically unjustified" and took advantage of its participants, ordering the study’s immediate end.

Despite the mistrust sown by the defunct health study, the longtime healthcare expert said that’s simply not the case with this vaccine.

"The side effects aren’t what people should be worried about. They tend to forget the risk of getting COVID," Dr. Paxton said.

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