Hospital leaders ask Memphians to keep fighting COVID-19
As new COVID-19 cases and pandemic fatigue continue to grow in Shelby County and around the country, the leaders of the Memphis area’s four major hospital systems are imploring people to continue to wear masks and social distance and warning “the virus wins if we give up.”
The message comes amid a continuing surge of cases in Shelby County. On Monday, the Shelby County health department reported 686 new COVID-19 cases and the total number of virus-related fatalities rose to 613. There were 361 COVID-19 patients in Memphis-area hospitals Sunday evening.
The letter submitted to the Commercial Appeal on Monday was written by Reginald Coopwood, president and chief executive officer of Regional One Health; Jason Little, president and chief executive officer of Baptist Memorial Health Care; Michael Ugwueke, president and chief executive officer of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare; and Sally Deitch, Memphis Market president and chief executive officer of Saint Francis Hospital-memphis and Saint Francis Hospital-bartlett.
“We’ve been forced to reckon with
countless hard truths this year. And as cases continue to trend upward, there is no alternative but to face another: this pandemic is not over,” the leaders said in the letter. “Now more than ever, the outcome of the weeks and months that follow is in our hands as a community, based in large part on our personal and collective choices.”
This marks the third time regional hospital leaders have spoken with one voice since the beginning of the pandemic, with hospital executives issuing joint statements at the beginning of the pandemic and after George Floyd was killed.
At the time the first collective message was issued, almost nothing was known about the novel coronavirus. Now, more than eight months after the first reported case in Shelby County, there is still much to be learned about the virus. But the hospital leaders said there are now prevention measures known to work — hand washing, maskwearing and social distancing.
The four argued that increased adoption of masks contributed in large part to blunting the spike seen over the summer. They also said practicing those infection control measures was the best way to keep the still-struggling economy open, adding “everyone should be able to get behind that goal, regardless of background and political affiliation.”
In the letter issued Monday, the hospital executives said they understood the seemingly unyielding social and economic difficulties brought on by the pandemic and the measures taken to slow its spread, but acknowledged the world was far from a return to pre-pandemic life.
“A succession of social and political challenges, coupled with the upheavals of the COVID-19 pandemic, have made us all feel like endurance runners on an endless trail of abrupt turns,” the CEOS said. “Week after week, we sat on the edges of our seats waiting for the allclear, desperate for ‘normal’ to recommence. We are all eagerly awaiting a safe and effective vaccine, and even with promising early reports, we are still months away from scientists’ tireless work coming to fruition.”
Those promising early reports include recent announcements from Moderna that clinical trial data shows its vaccine to be almost 95% effective and from Pfizer that trial data shows its vaccine to be about 90% effective. More vaccine candidates are still in various stages of development.
But, however promising the results, no vaccine is ready for widespread distribution, which itself could take months. And it is not yet known how long the immunity from the vaccines will last and if booster vaccinations or even annual vaccinations, like those for influenza, will be necessary.
“We know you’re tired. But, we cannot give up,” they said. “The doctors, nurses and support staff at our hospitals, who undertake great personal risk on the frontlines of the pandemic response, need you. Vulnerable family, friends and neighbors, who may be elderly or suffer from chronic conditions, need you.”