Mosaic president urges vaccination to bring life back to normal

By Nate Blackford, Mosaic Medical Center – Maryville president

Three weeks ago, we took a moment as a health system to celebrate. After 383 days, we had a brief moment with zero COVID inpatients. We knew the pandemic was not over but felt like it was a milestone worth celebrating. However, since then our system COVID admissions are gradually climbing again. Earlier this week, we had nine COVID inpatients as a system including three in the intensive care unit.

Please know I am not trying to sound the alarm unnecessarily. I’m simply saying COVID is still active in the communities in which we live, work and play. And the vaccine remains our greatest weapon in this battle.

As mentioned previously, May 12 will be our last planned mass vaccination event at the Hughes Fieldhouse. By the time we wrap up our final event, we will have administered over 10,000 doses of the vaccine to community members.

As a result of our mass vaccine events and other efforts in the area, 33.4 percent of all Nodaway County residents have been fully vaccinated. This puts us in the top 15 percent of all Missouri counties. By comparison, 28.5 percent of Missourians and 31.8 percent of all Americans have been fully vaccinated. Along with our partners at Northwest Missouri State University and the Nodaway County Health Department, we thank you for your support, encouragement and participation.

Although this will be our last event that is currently planned, the vaccine will be available by appointment through our primary care clinic in Maryville, 660.562.2525 and via local pharmacies in the area.

For those that are unsure about the vaccine, I encourage you to do your research and make your decision based on the science. While no vaccine is 100 percent perfect, this vaccine has been proven to be highly effective. According to the CDC, with 105.5 million Americans fully vaccinated, the vaccine has proven to be over 99 percent effective and has reduced hospitalization rates for those who have received the vaccine to basically zero, .0005 percent.

We could all use a summer of healing, full of activities and time with family and friends. We all desire a full return to normalcy. And I believe the vaccine is the key. If you have not done so already, please consider joining the ranks of the vaccinated.

Thanks as always for your support and efforts to keep yourself and our communities safe.