The Effect of COVID-19 Vaccine Seen in X-Ray Images... Striking 'Black and White Difference'

Unvaccinated Patient's Photo Shows Many White Areas

The left image shows the lungs of a person who tested positive for COVID-19 without being vaccinated. The right image shows the lungs of a person who tested positive for COVID-19 after being vaccinated. The left side has more white areas than the right. (Photo by KSDK)

[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Jinsoo Lee] A recent chest X-ray image of a COVID-19 patient released by a U.S. doctor is reminding people of the importance of vaccination.

Dr. Gasan Kamel, director of the intensive care unit at SSM Health Medical Center affiliated with Saint Louis University Hospital in Missouri, appeared on local TV station KSDK on the 30th of last month (local time) and showed two different chest X-ray images. One was from a patient who had been vaccinated against COVID-19 but tested positive, and the other was from a patient who was infected without being vaccinated.

Dr. Kamel explained that the reason for comparing and revealing the two images was to show the stark difference depending on vaccination status.

According to KSDK, Dr. Kamel is an expert who has treated thousands of patients since COVID-19 cases began to surge in the U.S. in March 2020.

He stated that the patients he is currently caring for are relatively younger than those who were infected in 2020-2021, and the majority are unvaccinated.

(Photo by Yonhap News)

Among the two images Dr. Kamel revealed, the one from the vaccinated patient mostly appeared black. This indicates that the alveoli are filled with air.

On the other hand, the chest X-ray of the unvaccinated patient showed many white areas. This is called lung opacity. It means the air is sparse. The alveoli, which should be filled with air, are instead filled with fluids, bacteria, and immune cells. Therefore, the patient cannot receive oxygen normally.

According to Dr. Kamel, such patients may even require medical assistance like life support devices. He explained, "At a minimum, these patients need to be supplied with oxygen," adding, "In some cases, other interventions such as intubation and sedative administration are necessary."

However, if a vaccinated person is hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19, intensive treatment to that extent is usually not required.

Dr. Kamel emphasized the importance of vaccination, saying, "If you don't like masks, you probably won't like relying on an oxygen respirator either."