A concerned community member called recently asking what can be done to convince more county residents to get their COVID-19 vaccination. As about 50% of eligible county residents have been fully vaxxed, caller had a good point. Given that safe and effective vaccines have been available to the public for ten months now, not sure…
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A crisis of conscience is typically defined as a “situation wherein people will have to choose between their inner morals and their duty or responsibility. This crisis is especially prevalent among honest and upright public servants.” I thought about this quite a bit after recent county commissioners meetings; we all experience such a crisis at…
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No shoes. No shirt. No service! Growing up in a beach town in the 1970s, I saw that sign in many a storefront window. Fortunately for kids like me it took minimal effort to comply: flip flops, Hang Ten t-shirt and swim trunks. At 19, with motorcycle endorsement on my driver’s license, I wore a…
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We need to talk about wearing masks when visiting the hospital, clinic, or nursing home. Please understand that federal mask requirement for healthcare facilities is all about science, not personal beliefs, assumptions or wild internet theories. The singular priority for any hospital is patient safety (same goes for clinic and skilled nursing facility): we are…
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As mentioned last month, Dr. Dofeliz is leaving us next week, which means that a new hospital Chief of Staff has been elected for Mt. Grant General. Congratulations to Sharon Ruch, MD! Dr. Ruch returned to us a few years ago and we are grateful she is taking on this critical leadership role. As the…
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At the moment (late May) there are zero positive COVID-19 cases in Mineral County. Great news. Also, our current county vaccination rate is just over 37%; could be better but ranks as second highest county rate in the state (after Washoe). Nearly two-thirds of Hospital staff are vaccinated, which compares well to other rural hospitals. …
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Everything returns to normal May 1st—right? That’s when our governor says each county can decide to fully reopen if they wish, so pandemic is over! Not so fast. The reality is that as long as county vaccination rate remains under 35%, new COVID-19 variants keep popping up, and mask-wearing remains optional for most, then look…
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How quickly the world has changed. COVID-19 cases have dropped off the charts since January. Why? Not because everyone suddenly became mask-compliant, began washing their hands religiously, or maintained six feet of separation while in public spaces. You know why. Whether you believe that COVID-19 is real, that vaccines are effective and safe, or that…
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Last month’s “super-spreader” event that resulted in COVID-19 infection spike is behind us, county positivity rate is lowest it has been since last fall—so, are we through with pandemic? Hardly! The finish line may be faintly visible on the distant horizon but still a long way to go before we get there and life returns…
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It may be a new year but still feels like 2020; guess that’s why this month is named after a Roman god with two faces—one looking ahead, the other to the past. January seems much like the prior ten miserable months. Many of us won’t celebrate a new year until this pandemic is behind us. …
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