As part of ongoing efforts to promote COVID-19 vaccines and why they are important, Sanford Health chief physician Jeremy Cauwels, M.D., is speaking with Sioux Falls, South Dakota area community, business and school leaders.
The virtual events provide updates on the latest COVID-19 information and an opportunity to answer questions from attendees.
It’s urgent work.
Sanford Health reports that in its medical centers, new COVID-19 hospitalizations rose 339% from Aug. 1 to 31. The majority of hospitalized patients are unvaccinated, and their ages are getting younger — as young as 5 days old. Meanwhile, the delta variant is proving more contagious than previous variants.
What can business leaders do? They asked Dr. Cauwels about the benefits of masking, vaccination and other ways to help prevent serious illness and death from COVID-19.
How businesses can help
To slow the spread of COVID-19 and variants, Dr. Cauwels advises:
- Getting vaccinated if you’re 12 or older, and encouraging others to do so
- Wearing a mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status
- Sending kids to school in masks, especially those who are too young to get the COVID-19 vaccine
- Staying home when you’re sick
Teri Schmidt, executive director of Experience Sioux Falls, attended the first virtual roundtable, held Sept. 7 online.
“Having partners in our community, like Sanford Health, who offer us an opportunity to get the facts about this pandemic and ask questions is greatly appreciated and invaluable to the work and play, and overall quality of life in our Sioux Falls community,” Schmidt said. “I can’t thank Sanford enough for the invitation to this roundtable.”
The virtual event provided facts from a trusted source of health information, according to Sanford Health Senior Director of Community Relations Stacy Wrightsman.
“In our current environment, it is important to know where your sources of truth and facts are found. Because of this, it’s crucial for our people — our friends, neighbors and community — to know that Sanford Health is that voice of truth,” Wrightsman said. “Roundtables like this illustrate Sanford’s commitment to the health and well-being of our communities and those we serve.”
Dr. Cauwels is providing similar sessions across Sanford communities in coming days, in addition to ongoing Facebook Live events hosted by Sanford Health News.
Information in this story was accurate when it was posted. As the COVID-19 pandemic changes, scientific understanding and guidelines may have changed since the original publication date.
Learn more
- Sanford to require COVID-19 vaccine for employees
- Sanford Health vaccinates 1,700 JBS employees in Worthington
- Sanford Health, state & local officials: Mask up, vaccinate
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Posted In Community, COVID-19, Expert Q&A, Immunizations, Leadership in Health Care, Sioux Falls
