I am writing to our community with a very heavy heart. For months now, government officials, Healthcare Leaders and others have been imploring citizens to take measures to mitigate the impact of this pandemic by getting the vaccine, wearing a mask, social distancing, frequent handwashing, and avoiding large gatherings. I am not writing to preach or to guilt trip or use any other method to convince you to take care of yourself, your families and your community.
As the CEO of your local hospital, I am writing to inform you of our most recent experience with this delta variant of COVID-19. Within the past two weeks, we have seen the devastation here within our community. Our facility has seen an increase in positivity rates from Covid tests to over 30%. Our beds have been full to overflowing, forcing us to house additional patients in our ER, thereby limiting the availability for us to care for other emergencies. We have seen patients as young as 2 months old, 8 years old and 18. We have lost members of our community between the ages of 27 and 52 years of age. We are having to contact hospitals as far away as Oklahoma, seeking to transfer patients to a higher level of care. In the past 48 hours we have seen 5 people succumb to this disease. Our staff are working tirelessly to help all who seek our assistance, but we are becoming overwhelmed.
While I understand the hesitancy that many have related to the vaccine, it is the best hope we have of reducing the impact that this pandemic is having on our community. This virus is no respecter of age, race, ethnicity, religion, political party, or ideology. I respectfully request you give serious consideration to getting the vaccine. There are a number of locations within the parish where you are able to receive it that have been well publicized, the local hospitals, local pharmacies, the public health unit among others.
Sincerely,
Peter Sullivan, CEO
Riverside Medical Center, Franklinton
