May 17, 2021
Deaconess Community,

Since our last vaccine education digest, so much has evolved. With the Food and Drug Administration’s recent emergency authorization of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as 12-years-old, more than 87 percent of the total U.S. population is now eligible to be vaccinated. Just a few days later the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated guidance and recommended safety measures. While vaccine supply has continued to increase, the demand for vaccines among those older than 16 years of age has waned. In an effort to address vaccine hesitancy, healthcare providers and community health workers are continuing to address concerns and fears many have about the available vaccines.
 
In this third edition, Larry McCulley, President and CEO of SIFH Healthcare and CEO of Touchette Regional Hospital, discusses efforts to address vaccine hesitancy among communities in the Metro-East and the opportunity to improve access to underserved patient populations in the region.
 
We recognize information related to the COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination is updating frequently as policy and vaccine availability continues to evolve. In addition to bringing insights from people in our community who are deeply engaged in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts and sharing the work of our partners addressing health disparities, we have a dedicated page on our website to help you get connected to resources in your community: Regional COVID-19 Vaccination Registration and Appointment and COVID-19 Testing Information. We still invite you to share resources that have been helpful for you and may be shared with others by contacting us at info@deaconess.org

In service to our children,

Cheryl D.S. Walker
Interim President and CEO
Deaconess Foundation
LARRY MCCULLEY: REACHING THE UNDERSERVED IN THE METRO-EAST
SIHF Healthcare and Touchette Regional Hospital missions are to lead individuals and communities to their healthiest lifestyle with a focus on the underserved populations.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges, revealed ongoing inequities, and offered new opportunities. The COVID vaccine programs provided through the State of Illinois and directly to SIHF Healthcare from the federal government community health centers outreach greatly assisted in driving improved access to our underserved patient populations. Since that time, SIHF Healthcare has provided over 8,000 vaccines to patients and community members in greater metro-east communities that include East St. Louis, Alton, and Cahokia.
The challenge we addressed was also the hesitation of many in our communities fearing the vaccine. Dr. Theodore Ross, Chief Medical Officer at SIHF, noted in a feature on our Facebook, “Vaccines allow me to protect myself, my patients, and my loved ones.” He added a particular note for people of color, “As a black American, we are at a high risk of COVID complications. This is one of the best measures we have to protect ourselves and our loved ones.”

Dr. Ross and Vice President Kena Gray made every effort to reach our patient population in order to get them vaccinated by connecting patients with their health care provider to address fear and questions. “While great strides have been made in getting our patients vaccinated, we must increase our outreach and education to the community on why you should get vaccinated and to take the vaccines to where the people are,” stated Gray.

SIHF continues to hold vaccine clinics at health centers, shelters for the unhoused, local churches, health fairs, and other community events focused on the greater East St. Louis area.
Larry McCulley is President and CEO of SIHF Healthcare and CEO of Touchette Regional Hospital.

SIHF Healthcare operates a network of 30 health centers across 11 Illinois counties with more than 140 medical providers who deliver comprehensive healthcare services including: adult, family, women’s health, pediatrics, dental services for children, behavioral health, and population health services. As one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Center networks in the country, SIHF Healthcare is devoted to leading individuals and communities to their healthiest lifestyle regardless of their ability to pay. For more information, visit www.sihf.org.

Touchette Regional Hospital has proudly served the communities of the metro-east for more than 60 years. We offer 24-hour Emergency Department, Intensive Care, Cardiopulmonary, Laboratory, Radiology, Medical Specialty Services, Transportation, Sleep Center, Physical Therapy, Senior Care Services, Start Now Breast Cancer Awareness Program, Home Healthcare, Special Needs Dentistry for children, and Behavioral Health (inpatient and outpatient). For more information, visit www.touchette.org.
COVID-19 RESPONSE AND RECOVERY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: COMPREHENSIVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER
Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center of St. Clair County provides quality individualized essential services for people in need of emotional, rehabilitative, and social support on a twenty-four (24) hour basis, in the least restrictive environment. The Center’s services are designed to meet the needs of children, adolescents, and adults. Services may include but are not limited to therapeutic counseling, psycho-social testing, individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, consultation, community intervention, psychiatric evaluation, case management services, referrals, and outreach services. Emergency and Crisis Intervention services are offered 24-hours a day, seven (7) days per week. Professional staff provide walk-in, outreach and telephone intervention to persons of all ages who may be in crisis.
 
Deaconess Foundation provided funding to Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center through its COVID-19 Equitable Relief and Recovery Fund. The grant supports efforts to provide behavioral health services utilizing telemedicine and increase the availability of clinical staff to provide ongoing monitoring and support services for clients across several programs including services for the youth and unhoused populations throughout the pandemic.

To learn more about Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center, visit: https://cbhc1.org/.
RESOURCES AND INFORMATION
The following information is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Deaconess Foundation encourages you to use the information to make an informed decision regarding the vaccine.
After You're Fully Vaccinated
How to Protect Yourself and Others
COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting you from getting sick. Based on what we know about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.
 
These recommendations can help you make decisions about daily activities after you are fully vaccinated. They are not intended for healthcare settings.
 
Have You Been Fully Vaccinated?

In general, people are considered fully vaccinated:

  • 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
  • 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

If you don’t meet these requirements, regardless of your age, you are NOT fully vaccinated. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated. This guidance applies to COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines. This guidance can also be applied to COVID-19 vaccines that have been authorized for emergency use by the World Health Organization (e.g. AstraZeneca/Oxford).
 
If you have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated. Talk to your healthcare provider. Even after vaccination, you may need to continue taking all precautions.
What You Can Start to Do
 
If you’ve been fully vaccinated:

  • You can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic.
  • You can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
  • If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
  • You need to pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States.
  • You do NOT need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.
  • You still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States.
  • You should still get tested 3-5 days after international travel.
  • You do NOT need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.
  • If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
  • However, if you live or work in a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.
What You Should Keep Doing
 
For now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated:

  • You will still need to follow guidance at your workplace and local businesses.
  • If you travel, you should still take steps to protect yourself and others. You will still be required to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States, and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. Fully vaccinated international travelers arriving in the United States are still required to get tested within 3 days of their flight (or show documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months) and should still get tested 3-5 days after their trip.
  • You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.
  • People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken the immune system, should talk to their healthcare provider to discuss their activities. They may need to keep taking all precautions to prevent COVID-19.

What CDC Knows

  • COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing COVID-19 disease, especially severe illness and death.
  • COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of people spreading COVID-19.

What CDC Is Still Learning

  • How effective the vaccines are against variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. Early data show the vaccines may work against some variants but could be less effective against others.
  • How well the vaccines protect people with weakened immune systems, including people who take immunosuppressive medications.
  • How long COVID-19 vaccines can protect people.

As CDC knows more, CDC will continue to update its recommendations for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
 
Want to learn more about these recommendations? Read CDC’s expanded Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People.
 
Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines at: www.cdc.gov.
Resources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
FURTHER READING
Uber and Lyft Will Give Free Rides to COVID-19 Vaccination Spots, White House Says

Bill Chappell | National Public Radio

Anyone needing a ride to get a COVID-19 vaccine shot will be able to get a free trip from the ride-sharing companies Lyft and Uber, the White House announced Tuesday, in the latest push to encourage Americans to get vaccinated.

"The feature will launch in the next two weeks and run until July 4," the White House said.

People who want to use the program would need to select a vaccination site near them and then redeem the companies' offer of a free ride. The two ride-sharing firms will promote the offer in their apps.

The initiative is a new facet of President Biden's push to ensure 70% of all U.S. adults get at least one vaccine shot by July 4. The two companies are "driving America closer" to reaching that goal, the White House said.

More than 58% of American adults have now received at least one vaccination shot, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday. More than 44% of adults are fully vaccinated. Read more>>>
COVID Restrictions Could Return if There's A Resurgence in Illinois' Reopening Phase

Kelsey Landis, Belleville News-Democrat | St. Louis Public Radio

Illinois moved into the next phase of reopening Friday as public health officials remained cautiously optimistic about low COVID-19 numbers. But restrictions could return if the virus overtakes vaccination efforts.

Though Illinois is in the “bridge” phase toward full reopening, the state could go back into the previous phase, Phase 4, if new cases increase significantly and if at least one of the following happens over a 10-day period:

  • Hospital intensive care unit availability drops below 20%
  • Total hospitalizations or deaths increase significantly

Coronavirus statistics look steady if not promising in the Metro East, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The agency defines the Metro East as St. Clair, Madison, Bond, Clinton, Monroe, Randolph and Washington counties.

The St. Louis region as a whole was also stable as vaccinations tick upward, said Dr. Alex Garza, incident commander of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force. The task force is a private group of hospital and public health officials that has been tracking and reporting on COVID-19 in the metropolitan area.

Avoiding renewed restrictions will depend on vaccinations continuing to increase. Read more>>>
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