Lehi City Q&A: Emergency physician urges vaccination, explains immunity, pregnancy risks and boosters

Dr. Singleton, an emergency medicine physician who trains paramedics and serves as a hospital liaison to Lehi City, told city employees in a recorded Q&A that COVID-19 vaccination gives stronger and longer-lasting protection than immunity from prior infection and urged people to get vaccinated.

“Research now shows people who have been vaccinated have about three times more antibodies in their blood than people who haven't been vaccinated but have had those natural infections,” Dr. Singleton said, and added that the two-dose mRNA series gives a longer-lasting boost than a single infection. He recommended vaccination even for people who have already had COVID-19, calling the combination “double protection” and saying the vaccine can help clear lingering virus that may be driving some long-COVID symptoms.

The physician addressed common concerns about the speed of vaccine development and safety. He said that the unusually fast trials reflected the very large number of infections during early phases and that “almost a billion doses have been given,” which, in his view, supports the vaccines’ safety profile. He said he expected full Food and Drug Administration approval within months at the time of the interview.

On vaccine choice, Dr. Singleton said all available vaccines strongly prevent hospitalization and death, but that current data suggest Pfizer and Moderna may provide longer-lasting protection and somewhat better performance against the Delta variant. He noted Johnson & Johnson remains a useful single-dose option for people who prefer one shot.

Responding to questions about pregnancy and fertility, Dr. Singleton said there is “no evidence whatsoever” that the vaccines affect fertility and noted that major medical organizations recommend vaccination during pregnancy. He emphasized that COVID-19 infection itself can lead to miscarriage or preterm delivery and that maternal vaccination also can pass protective antibodies through breast milk.

He described the balance of long-term risks this way: vaccine adverse events typically appear within weeks and serious allergic or clotting events are very rare (he described them as on the order of “one in a million”), whereas the virus can cause prolonged symptoms, organ damage and, in some cases, death. Citing available data, he said roughly “one to two percent” of hospitalized patients were fully vaccinated and deaths among the fully vaccinated are “less than 1 percent,” while a larger share of infected people experience weeks or months of lingering symptoms.

Dr. Singleton advised that people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons consult multiple experts, rely on vaccination among close contacts when possible, and use masks and other precautions. He recommended masking in crowded indoor settings or small offices where social distancing is not possible and warned that the Delta variant’s higher contagiousness raises the risk of breakthrough infections at super-spreading events.

On boosters, he said press reports at the time indicated additional doses would be prioritized for immunosuppressed people and that health authorities were monitoring antibody waning and breakthrough rates; whether and when a universal booster would be recommended remained uncertain.

Throughout the conversation he urged compassion when speaking with vaccine-hesitant people and recommended consulting respected news organizations and governing medical bodies—including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—for guidance. He closed by repeating a direct appeal: “get vaccinated today.”

The interview concluded with thanks from city staff and a reminder that local first responders and hospital workers continue treating COVID-19 patients.