Mercy Regional Medical Center is excited to announce it is now offering walk-in appointments for patients eager to receive their COVID-19 vaccine. This means quick and easy access to your dose, whether it’s your first or your second.
The team at Mercy Regional Medical Center has given more than 9,200 doses to our community, bringing us one step closer to ending this pandemic. Still there is hesitancy. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey published March 30, 17% of the public say they will take a wait-and-see approach before getting it themselves, and another 20% say they will never get a vaccine or will only get it if required to do so for work, school or other activities. This leaves a significant portion of the population at risk of going unvaccinated.
Centura Health is collaborating with a coalition of 60 of America's top hospitals and health care institutions on a nationwide campaign to encourage adults to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Led by Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic, the campaign "Get the Vaccine to Save Lives," is designed to reassure the public that vaccines are safe, effective and necessary to achieve herd immunity and a return to normal activities.
The nationwide campaign includes print and digital advertising, media outreach, social media, an awareness video and an informational website.
With vaccine distribution underway, the campaign aims to help Americans feel safe and confident about receiving a vaccine. To achieve herd immunity and help end the pandemic, leading health officials say at least 75% of the population needs to receive a vaccine. Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who have been vaccinated.
If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccines, go to Centura.org/vaccine.
