Good morning. Thank you Katie.
It is my honor to represent royal star
today on this important health briefing.
I hope to provide you a perspective
of what we're seeing throughout our
health system and in our hospitals,
along with thousands others
of health care providers and
caregivers during this pandemic.
You're all very aware of the ongoing
surge that we're seeing now.
The skyrocketing number cases in our
communities and the hospital admissions.
This 5th wave has been incredibly
challenging, as we've seen the easy
transmissibility of Omicron impact.
The basic services of all our lives,
including transportation and sanitation,
and, yes, health care.
I'd like to provide you with some
updated numbers of what we're
seeing within our hospital.
In doing so,
I'll take you on a journey with
a patient and a true story of a
family's interaction with health
care during this pandemic.
We meet our patient who's a
70 year old gentleman.
It's a typical morning and he calls his
daughter who lives in his same neighborhood.
You see,
he's fallen and needs assistance.
Living in the same neighborhood,
his daughter immediately goes over
and and checks on her father.
And instead of activating EMS,
she realizes that he needs
assistance getting up,
but she's able to help him to her car
and she drives him to the hospital.
While there,
she learns that there are restricted
visitation because of high levels
of transmission in the community.
She learns that well Star health system.
There's currently 686 patients admitted
with COVID in the health system.
She also learns that a lot of people like
her father are admitted for other reasons,
but also subsequently diagnosed with COVID.
She hopes this is not the case for him.
She also learns that 69% of
the patients admitted of COVID
positive are unvaccinated.
And 118 of those who are COVID
positive required ICU level care,
and 76% of those are the unvaccinated.
60% of people in the ICU excuse me.
60 number of patients admitted to the
hospital with COVID requiring ICU level
care are also requiring ventilator support
and an increased number of those are
percent 78 are unvaccinated as well.
As she waits for news on her father,
she subsequently learned he
suffered a hip fracture and yes,
his fall from dizziness and weakness was
contributed from a new diagnosis of COVID-19.
Our story doesn't end there, you see.
His daughter subsequently
comes down with COVID-19.
And eight other family members.
Subsequently, from this one
incidence of health care need is
subsequently diagnosed with COVID-19.
Once pauses to ask,
what if you see this family?
Not unlike any others in our
communities relatively healthy?
All eligible all ten members
eligible for vaccination,
yet none received their vaccinations.
Because they interact with each
other on a family basis and
regular routine precautions
were not taken when interacting.
So mask wearing was rarely used
amongst these family members when
using circulating the community and
no precautions about gatherings or
large groups was adhered to. You see?
The story has a devastating ending.
That family no longer has three family
members present because of COVID-19.
This is a striking number of people
who died from one single family
out of infection from COVID-19.
In one incidence 30%.
While one would be devastating,
we hope that no one succumbs to this
illness and no one needs hospitalization.
One continues to ask, what if?
How might this have been prevented?
Will certainly vaccination is our
best prevention and we'll continue to
learn about that today from other speakers.
But also wearing a mask,
washing your distance and washing
your hands are also very important.
I understand there's a lot of
confusion about mask out there.
First key point.
I want people to remember is snug fit.
It's gotta fit tightly against the face
no matter what fabric it's made out of.
We know and have learned that the
specialty fabric making in 90 fives in KN.
90 fives are our best fabric to
use if that's available to you.
If not,
it's multiple layers of a snug fitting mask
that are provide your best protection.
Certainly getting medical attention
if you're symptomatic getting
tested early and getting treatment
early are very important.
We learn more about that today as well.
But also, if you've been exposed,
make sure you quarantine and
get screened by getting tested,
either a home test or at your
local health care institution.
I think these are very important
because see these could have helped
this family survive and avoid the
devastation which has happened.
These are heartbreaking stories
that we see every day.
As one of the largest health
systems in Atlanta,
we see a great deal of misinformation
and try to provide new,
correct and accurate information
to our communities.
I understand that there's a lot of
mixed information rapidly changing
data and and recommendations
coming out from trusted sources.
I wanna thank you for your flexibility.
Your understanding and yes,
your resilience because we're
all navigating this together
as we come back this pandemic.
My first task is that you take
care of yourselves and one another.
By getting vaccinated and participating
in these protective measures,
such as wearing your mask or
watching your distance,
and certainly avoiding large crowds,
if you're ill, stay home.
Well, star Health Systems is proud
to service communities and ready and
available to you today and every day.
And we thank you for your support
and your partnership as we lessen
this devastating impact that
COVID-19 has had on our communities.