Northwest Arkansas healthcare workers received initial COVID-19 vaccinations with the anticipation of their remaining co-workers receiving the COVID-19 vaccination by New Year’s Day 2021.
Healthcare administrators and clinical leaders expressed their hope that the end of the pandemic is likely drawing near, but asked the community to be patient with the timing of vaccine distribution and cautioned that while there is light at the end of the tunnel, it is not the end of COVID-19 yet. Larry Shackleford, WRMC president and member of Gov. Hutchinson’s Winter Task Force said, “The Governor’s Winter Task Force continues to meet weekly presenting options to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to prepare for the continuing surge of COVID patients requiring inpatient care.” Shackleford further shared, “We are grateful that the vaccine is currently being administered to healthcare workers and long-term care residents and staff, and that the vaccine will soon be more broadly available. I think there is hope for victory over COVID-19 through the vaccine, but that hope is dependent on remaining vigilant in following the masking, social distancing, and hand-washing guidelines, especially now in the holiday season.”
Shackleford, along with other executives from the area’s health care systems are part of the Northwest Arkansas Council’s Healthcare Transformation Division that pivoted much of their work together to COVID-19 at the onset of the pandemic. Part of that work was the launch of a Northwest Arkansas (NWA) focused COVID-19 public service announcement (PSA) campaign, ‘Safe and Strong,’ in June 2020. The campaign is now in its third phase including a video PSA ‘Believe’ with Mark Thomas, MD, WRMC’s medical director of population health.
“We know many are weary of hearing our same messages over and over and are likely struggling with COVID fatigue. Dr. Thomas has been phenomenal during this difficult time and offers a very real, day to day perspective of the reality of COVID-19. His thoughts and comments couldn’t come at a more ideal time, as families focus on the holidays.”
The coordinated efforts and messaging from the Northwest Arkansas health care providers is a result of personal and professional relationships among the region’s healthcare systems and the Northwest Arkansas Council Health Care Transformation Division. The region’s healthcare providers were able to pivot their focus to address the COVID-19 crisis. Participating healthcare providers include Arkansas Children’s Northwest, Community Clinic, Mercy Northwest Arkansas, Northwest Health, UAMS Northwest, Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks, and Washington Regional Medical Center.