I want to start by saying how proud I am of our faculty, staff, and trainees and their response to this pandemic so far. A vaccination rate of 90% is a great accomplishment for any organization! I wish we were back to normal, and I know you must as well. Please read the following blog from Melanie Wellington, infectious disease specialist, and keep pushing on, together! 

Theresa Brennan, MD 

I know we’d all like to be able to gaze into a crystal ball and see for sure what the future holds, especially in these uncertain times. However, as part of the Program of Hospital Epidemiology, I can tell you that we study the trends of the pandemic each and every day so that we can adjust our guidelines accordingly, with safety always the number one priority. As much as we don’t like changing things, the situation with the pandemic is constantly evolving, which means we must, too. 

I know that this isn’t easy for those of us who have worked so hard this past year to get to a point where normal felt within reach. But there is still so much we can be doing now to make a difference.  

I encourage you to get vaccinated if you haven’t done so already. It’s free through our University Employee Health Clinic and easy to schedule. Just call 319-356-3631, option 3. 

Talk to your patients about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Remember to put empathy and compassion first. 

Finally, please remember to be a role model. Practice good safety behaviors like wearing a mask, washing your hands, and avoiding crowds. 

Let’s step up and move forward with what we know works in the fight against COVID-19. 

Melanie Wellington, MD 
Infectious Disease Specialist