Before she passed away from COVID-19 after giving birth, Paige Ruiz had a dying wish that she had been vaccinated. Now, her family and friends are spreading the message that the CDC is also reiterating for pregnant people: get vaccinated.
Ruiz, 32 years old, was a much beloved educator in North Texas and had recently taken a new position in student development at Joshua ISD. When she was nine months pregnant, Ruiz was admitted to the hospital in early August after contracting COVID-19. She underwent an emergency C-section and a healthy child was born. But Ruiz tragically passed away.
According to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Ruiz told her brother Cameron Zinsou she was pro-vaccine, but was worried about any complications that might arise if she took the shots while pregnant.
Ruiz’s mother Robin Zinsou spoke to CNN about Ruiz’s final days texting family and friends to get vaccinated. When host John Berman asked Robin Zinsou if she had a message for the country in light of what happened to her daughter, she said the following: “Mask up, get vaccinated so this doesn’t happen to your family.”
Days before Paige Ruiz passed away, the CDC issued a new guidance saying that the COVID-19 vaccine was safe for pregnant people. They also indicated that with the delta variant, the number of pregnant people admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 has risen steadily this summer.
Throughout the pandemic, some of the biggest disinformation around the COVID-19 vaccine on social media has been linked to unfounded claims that it can cause infertility or produce birth defects.
As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise alarmingly throughout the state, the vaccination rate in Texas is still below the national average with 46.4 percent of Texans fully vaccinated. Harris County, however, has seen an increased vaccination rate, since it announced a $100 cash incentive. Other counties could follow suit with similar vaccination incentives.
Photo: Ajith Perera/Xinhua via Getty Images
A longtime writer and journalist, Jessica was thrilled to join the Texas Signal where she could utilize her unique perspective on politics and culture. As the Features and Opinion Editor, she is responsible for coordinating editorials and segments from diverse authors. She is also the host of the podcast the Tex Mix, as well as the co-host for the weekly SignalCast. Jessica attended Harvard College, is a onetime fitness blogger, and has now transitioned to recreational runner (for which her joints are thankful).
