As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Garfield County and throughout Oklahoma, INTEGRIS Bass Baptist Health Center caregivers united to encourage the public to get the COVID-19 vaccination to help stop the spread of the virus and keep people out of the hospital.
“This new wave of COVID-19 patients is becoming emotionally taxing on our health care workers,” INTEGRIS Bass Chief Nursing Officer Kenna Wilson said. “Our caregivers are fearful that numbers will continue to increase, and the situation will become more difficult to manage. At times we don’t have beds for patients, and that can be equally as stressful for the caregivers as it is for the patients.”
The plea comes on the heels of the FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine, which may help some feel more at ease about getting the vaccine. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Oklahoma still lags significantly behind the national average for those who have received the vaccination.
Wilson is hopeful that more people will consider becoming vaccinated as information becomes available. “I believe that the FDA’s approval of the vaccine will help people see that a lot of work has gone into ensuring that the vaccine is safe and effective in stopping the spread of COVID-19,” Wilson said. “Seeing others who have received the vaccine stay healthy is a solid reason to consider it, and for those on the fence about receiving the vaccine, I would encourage them to seek advice from their primary care physician.”