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Sacramento woman urges people to get vaccinated after becoming COVID-19 breakthrough case

Erica Castillo is urging everyone to do what they can to reduce their risk, including getting vaccinated.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — One Sacramento woman is urging everyone to do what they can to increase their chances of protecting themselves from COVID-19 after she caught the virus while visiting San Diego, in what she calls a breakthrough case.

Erica Castillo received the Pfizer vaccine in May and tested positive for COVID-19 over the Fourth of July Weekend. 

Castillo visited a busy restaurant with her best friend; she tested positive while her friend didn't. She said she took the risk of taking off her mask while inside.

Castillo told ABC10 that she feels she is turning a corner two weeks after getting sick. 

"The biggest challenge for me right now is being able to breathe," Castillo said.

According to the CDC, vaccine breakthrough cases are expected because no vaccine is  100% effective at preventing an illness in vaccinated people.

Sacramento County reported having 262 symptomatic breakthrough cases with vaccinated people and recently recommended that all fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors.

Castillo's father, Thomas Castillo, was a health care worker. He died in November 2020 from COVID-19 long hauler complications months before he was supposed to retire.

"For a lot of us who have already lost loved ones, we are still in this grief phase," Castillo said. "I'm putting together a living will at 37 because life is completely different for those who have been affected." 

Castillo is urging everyone to do what they can to reduce their risk, including getting vaccinated.

"I still want to do everything on my calendar," Castillo as id. "If I'm tweaking it, I can feel safe again, we can feel safe again just by tighten it up a little."

WATCH MORE: California Coronavirus: Citrus Heights business owner and customers talk mask mandate update

Lena Howland was in Citrus Heights where she spoke with the owner of a bowling alley and customers about the new mask mandate.

 

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