MACON, Ga. — Hospital and community health leaders are uniting to urge community vaccinations in Central Georgia.
Leaders from Houston Healthcare, Piedmont Macon, Atrium Health Navicent and the Georgia Department of Public Health held a news conference Thursday morning to urge community vaccination.
Houston Healthcare President and CEO Charles Briscoe spoke first. He said this is about, "human capacity and human compassion."
"We're not here to have a political debate," he said. "What we're seeing is preventable."
He said nurses, reparatory therapists, everyone at the hospital are "worn out," but they continue to say "we're there for you."
CEO of Piedmont Macon and Piedmont Macon North Stephen Daugherty spoke next, saying this "fourth wave" we're seeing is preventable.
"We don't need to be here," Daugherty said.
He said it's clear that the vaccination makes COVID-19 "less severe, and you have a great chance of surviving it." He referenced the number of patients who are using ventilators to breathe are largely those who are unvaccinated.
Atrium Health Navicent President and CEO Delvecchio Finley spoke from both the perspective of a health leader and a father.
He mentioned that students have returned to schools, and that we should be "concerned" for them, kids under 12 who cannot get the vaccine and medically fragile people.
Finley finished by saying that on Tuesday, the Macon Volunteer Clinic will have a pop-up clinic. You can find out more information at www.covidsafega.org.
Macon-Bibb County Health Department Administrator Doctor Jimmie Smith simply said "please."
Smith said Central Georgia is "falling behind" in numbers of fully vaccinated people. He said 13 counties are experiencing the spread of COVID-19, and that "we should take action."
He said the biggest problem Central Georgia is facing is "misinformation."
"COVID-19 vaccines are our way out of this pandemic," Smith said.
This is happened at the Coleman Hill overlook. Masking and social distancing were observed.