Dear Colleagues,
COVID-19 transmission dropped dramatically during the late spring due to our collective effort with vaccines, public health measures (masking, etc.), and the ability to socialize outdoors. At that time, it seemed the pandemic might be coming under better control. However, as public health measures relaxed and travel and activities resumed, the transmission of a new, highly transmissible variant has led to a surge in hospitalizations and cases among the unvaccinated population. Vaccination of all eligible individuals is critical to decreasing transmission, preventing unnecessary hospitalizations and deaths, and ensuring safe business, school, recreation, and family activities.
All Intermountain caregivers have an important responsibility to educate and advocate for COVID vaccination in eligible unvaccinated patients. This means that regardless of our job title or clinical specialty, we have a responsibility to keep abreast of the most current knowledge about vaccine safety, efficacy, and contraindications so we can address our patients’ concerns and use best practice.
Please don’t miss an opportunity to recommend vaccination. We’re seeing patients who’ve died in our hospitals who were unvaccinated and didn’t have any contraindications to the vaccine, who might have survived if they’d been vaccinated. Helping people make the decision to get vaccinated could save lives like these.
Here are some resources to assist you in these discussions:
- Many in our communities are concerned about vaccine safety and/or are more supportive of natural immunity from COVID 19 infection. Please read this document on the current science of COVID vaccine safety and the difference between natural immunity and vaccine derived immunity.
- Access this CDC resource for clinical considerations of COVID vaccines, including contraindications and precautions.
- Broach the topic with patients using the COVID Vaccines Talking Points for Providers document. It can be ordered on Print It (search “covid vaccine” or PIC1860”).
- Share with patients and families the COVID Vaccines: Frequently Asked Questions resource. It can be ordered on Print It (search “covid vaccine” or FS713 (English) or FS713S (Spanish)”).
- Ask a question of the experts: If you have any concerns or questions about whether an individual patient should receive a COVID vaccine, please email patient information and your question to getvaccinated@imail.org. This account is managed by physicians with expertise in vaccine safety who can advise on contraindications and risk/benefit decisions.
In addition, here are a few quick facts:
- Our own data shows the vaccines currently available in Utah are 90% effective in reducing hospitalizations and ED/Urgent Care visits for COVID.
- Of the individuals currently admitted for COVID in Intermountain facilities, 94% aren’t vaccinated.
- The 15-44-year-old unvaccinated population now accounts for the largest proportion of cases. This age group is generally low risk for severe COVID but often transmits the infection to individuals at high-risk due to age, medical conditions, and weakened immune systems.
We thank you for your continued support in guiding patients and community members to get vaccinated. Personal and community health depends on all of us coming together and ensuring our patients are vaccinated.
- Kristin Dascomb, MD, PhD, medical director of infection prevention and Employee Health
- Tamara Sheffield, MD, MPA, MPH, medical director of preventive medicine
- Eddie Stenehjem, MD, MSc, senior medical director of Medical Specialties
- Brandon Webb, MD, medical director of antimicrobial stewardship