July 28, 2021 Weekly Update
This week I received an email from the chaplain of North Valley Hospital that started with a quote.
“Jeny, are there groups of church leaders who meet regularly in the Valley? Do you go to these meetings? Will you please ask them to talk to their members about getting COVID-19 vaccinations?”
– An Emergency Room RN.
Chaplain Jeny Running Brook Covill goes on to write this:
You may have noticed that the numbers of people testing positive for COVID-19 are rising, particularly in Flathead County. As I make rounds through our Emergency Room, staff are telling me that we are seeing multiple cases of COVID-19 daily. Not everyone is sick enough to require hospitalization, but they are all sick enough to seek help in the Emergency Room. Staff are also telling me that the numbers of people coming through the Emergency Room with COVID-19 is higher than during past pandemic peaks.
The good news is that our staff are now seasoned in processes and procedures for receiving, treating and discharging people who have tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, our staff are seasoned in keeping everyone safe and providing compassionate, quality care.
However, I’m writing you today because staff morale is taking a big hit. This is why clinical staff are asking me to reach out to you. Over the last several weeks, Emergency Department staff have been telling me that the majority of positive COVID-19 cases are with people who have not received the vaccine.
Clinical staff say they are struggling to keep their “empathy tanks” full because of the numbers of non-vaccinated, symptomatic patients coming through the Emergency Room and testing positive for COVID-19. They are frustrated because they believe the number of cases could have been reduced or that patients’ symptoms could have been a lot less if they were vaccinated.
So, on behalf of my co-workers – entry screeners, registration personnel, providers, nurses, aides, lab technicians, imaging technicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, dietary personnel and chaplains, as well as all the other employees and volunteers – would you please consider talking to your congregations about the importance of vaccinations?
Friends, we are entering a new phase of the pandemic where the choices we make truly affect the health and wellbeing of our neighbors. Herd immunity requires the majority of us to be vaccinated. Please pray for our hospital workers and medical professionals who offer their gifts, time, and energy for the safety and health of our community. Encourage your hesitant neighbors and friends to speak to experts about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Blessings,
Pastor Jared.
Here’s is the link to view the data for yourself
https://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/cdepi/diseases/coronavirusmt/demographics .