Stay Home to Protect Our Health Care Resources
| Dear neighbors,
The first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Orange County and today we began vaccinating Hoag’s front-line staff. I am optimistic that we will soon turn the page on this challenging chapter. But we are not there yet. As you may have heard, COVID-19 cases continue to rise sharply in our community. Today we have the highest number of people hospitalized at Hoag with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. The clinical teams are doing an exceptional job caring for every patient that comes to our hospitals, urgent care centers and physician offices. I am writing to ask each of you to do your part to curb the rise in cases. At this point, we all know what to do: stay home as much as possible, keep your mask on when you are out and refrain from gathering – including those holiday parties and gatherings that we all yearn for, but know we should not host or attend. It is a sacrifice, and in a year of sacrifices this one can seem hard to make. But in this season of goodwill I ask that you practice the compassion and kindness to others that staying home represents. Your actions could make all the difference. Please know that you are not in this alone. Hoag is here for you. If you have a medical emergency such as the signs and symptoms of a stroke or heart attack, do not hesitate to come to Hoag’s hospitals or urgent care facilities. Hoag facilities are safe, and the medical staff is among the best in the nation. In fact, Hoag successfully treated the first known COVID-19 case in the state, and we are grateful for the talented and dedicated medical team that keeps our community safe while caring for newborns, patients with cancer, people suffering from heart attacks and, yes, patients battling COVID-19. At times these men and women seem like superheroes. But even superheroes need a hand from time to time. So, please, do your part this holiday season. Stay home. Stay safe. Do all that you can to avoid circumstances wherein you become vulnerable to the transmission of the virus. In this season of giving, I ask that you keep first responders and the most vulnerable members of our community forefront in your thoughts as you do your part to give the gift of good health. |
| Sincerely,
Robert T. Braithwaite |