SALT LAKE CITY — As Utah's COVID-19 numbers continue to rise with most new cases reported in people who are not vaccinated, getting the shot still remains a personal decision.
For the family of FOX 13s Kerri Cronk, it divided a household as Cronk’s sister was vaccinated, but her brother-in-law was not.
Rachel Nield, who works for a local school district, was one of the first groups to get access to the vaccine in Utah and signed up.
“It was offered to us so early,” said Rachel. “So I made the decision to get vaccinated because, first of all for my mom, I wanted to be around her.”
Meanwhile, Bryan Nield, Rachel's husband, works from home and says he isn’t out and about or socializing very much.
“My decision, I guess to not be vaccinated, I guess, was based on the fact that there’s a 99% chance that if I do get COVID that I’m going to be fine so I didn’t feel the need,” he said.
But on June 10 Bryan started to feel sick and tested positive for COVID a few days later. Over the next 12 days, Nield fought through fever and shakes.
“I came down and said, 'I’m going to the emergency room,’ I’m not getting better,” Bryan told Cronk.
“When he came downstairs and was very much like ‘I’m going,’ I was like, 'OK, let’s go,” Rachel added. “You start to worry, you know, it’s an unknown and you do you hear those tragic stories.”
Bryan spent four days in the hospital and says he’s still not 100 percent.
“I did use this for about three or four days, yes,” Bryan said, showing off the oxygen machine he was given. “My oxygen level kept going below 90. So anytime it goes below 90 you get concerned. I had to wear it to bed at night. I wore it around the house.”
Now, nearly a month later, Bryan says he feels fatigued and gets tired easily.
When asked if he wished he had received the vaccine after what he's been through, Bryan said he's still unsure.
“While I was in the hospital, I kind of thought, 'Man, if I could have prevented this, I would have prevented it,’ and since I’ve been home, I’ve still given that some more thought because I’m not sure.”
“Just from my own experience I am so grateful of my choice,” Rachel said. “I can’t imagine if I had been hit as hard as he was and then trying to take care of the household.”
The Nields say COVID is scary and life changing. The couple says they’re still dealing with everything that has happened and hope those on the fence start taking the coronavirus seriously and remain cautious.