Doctors Continue To See Rise In COVID Patients; Advise Vaccines And Other Safety Measures

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Hospitals are still dealing with an overwhelming number of patients with COVID.

The executive director of infectious disease at Advocate Aurora Health says three-quarters of their hospitalized patients never got a COVID vaccine.

"So what that tells us is that, if you are not immunocompromised, you're fully vaccinated, boosted, your chance of ending up in the hospital for treatment of COVID is are extremely low. And I think that should be reassuring for people," said Dr. Robert Citronberg.

Most people who get COVID do not need to go to the emergency room. Doctors say the best defense in addition to a vaccine is wearing a good mask -- like a KN-95, or a layered surgical mask -- along with handwashing and social distancing.