Newsworthy

Dear Community Partners,

The resistance of some to get a COVID-19 vaccine may at times be less about resistance and more about barriers. I recently learned of a situation in which a person “resisting” the vaccine was actually willing to get it but resisted because of language barriers she faced. The person believed she didn’t have the language interpretation, reading, or writing skills to get through the process to receive the vaccine.

When an acquaintance provided her support with her communication concerns, she willingly went and received the vaccine. The next day, she took two of her family members to also get vaccinated.

As our region is experiencing a surge of the highly contagious COVID-19 delta variant, it’s important to fully understand our options and how our decisions and actions impact all of us. We are living in polarized times with diverse opinions about right and wrong, vaccine or not, facemask or mask-less. There is no simple, single answer.

This is the time to educate yourself using credible sources based on science, not fantasy. Consult your physician to discuss what is best for you.

We should be able to have respectful, open dialogue, to gain a better understanding of the resistance and barriers people face in getting the vaccine. Is it real resistance or a barrier? Unless we talk about those issues, we can’t agree to disagree – or find that we may be on common ground.

Isn’t the real issue here that we all want the COVID-19 pandemic to end?

We together.

Here are today’s updates:

• COVID-19 Scorecard (English) – COVID-19 Scorecard (Spanish)
• COVID-19 Vaccines

COVID-19 Scorecard

Here’s a look at today’s COVID-19 scorecard:

• We have 51 inpatients who are COVID-19 positive. The percentage of hospital patients who are unvaccinated is 90%. Vaccinated is defined as fully vaccinated individuals for greater than 14 days since the last immunization.
• From the previous day – COVID-19 inpatient discharges: 6. Deaths: 3.

• We have 108 COVID-19 positive patients in the outpatient Enhanced Primary Care program.
• The percentage of patients testing positive for COVID-19 at Stormont Vail facilities the past seven days is 21% percent. The percent of positive cases who are unvaccinated is 81%.

COVID-19 Vaccines

• We have administered 87,303 vaccinations, which include the first and second doses of the vaccine.
• All Kansans age 12 and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
• COVID-19 vaccines are available through the Stormont Vail Retail Pharmacy, 2252 S.W. 10^th Ave.

• To schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment:
  • Go through your Stormont Vail MyChart
  • Use the online scheduling assistant at www.stormontvail.org/covid19/vaccine
  • Call (785) 270-4786.
• Walk-ins are welcome from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Health Care Workers Vaccination Update

*Through Aug. 13, 2021. Current employees and non-employed Medical Staff who have provided documentation of series completion to Stormont Vail Employee Health.

We together,

Dr. K