December 6, 2021
Vaccine vs. Virus
Which protects better in the long run?
Since the pandemic began in late 2019, there have been many solutions to dealing with the risk of possible infection. A common strategy proposed is to become infected, leading to a stronger immunity than the vaccine can provide. Additionally, theories about the mild severity of the actual infection abound and often conflict with what data has shown. Here is a brief look into the argument of whether the vaccine or the virus is more effective.
The Virus:
Pros:
- Gain natural immunity
- Fewer infections compared to non-vaccinated individuals who did not get the disease.
Cons:
- Unknown duration of natural immunity – Could be a few months to years
- Unknown consistency of natural immunity – Not everyone with the infection will have the same type or duration of protection.
- Unknown severity of symptoms
- Asymptomatic – 40-45% of developing no symptoms
- Symptomatic – Ranges from mild to critical
- Mild to moderate infections – Can stay out of the hospital. However, symptoms can be prolonged and lead to dysfunction in life
- Severe – Hospitalized and will require oxygen for some time
- Critical – Land in the ICU with a high mortality rate
- S. Deaths – 788,329
- Long Covid – Not impacted by immunity levels; unknown duration
The Vaccine:
Cons
- Face the adverse effects of vaccines
- Myocarditis – Few, mild, with most discharging from the ED
- Anaphylaxis – One in ~250,000 people; no deaths
- Thrombosis – Rare
- Long-term impacts unknown
- Possible but vaccine research regarding other vaccines show no new adverse effects appearing beyond a few months
Pros:
- Gain the immunity without gaining the risk of disease
- Adverse effects of vaccines are minimal as researched
- 09 billion doses have been administered across 184 countries
- Incidence of both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections is lower
- If infected previously with COVID, the antibody response is higher than individuals without a history of infection getting the vaccine
Sources:
- Angel Y, Spitzer A, Henig O, et al. Association Between Vaccination With BNT162b2 and Incidence of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections Among Health Care Workers. JAMA. 2021;325(24):2457–2465. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.7152
- Oran DP, Topol EJ. Prevalence of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection : A Narrative Review. Ann Intern Med. 2020;173(5):362-367. doi:10.7326/M20-3012
- https://usafacts.org/visualizations/covid-vaccine-tracker-states/
- https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/
- https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/
- Mathew D, Giles JR, Baxter AE, et al. Deep immune profiling of COVID-19 patients reveals distinct immunotypes with therapeutic implications. Science. 2020;369(6508):eabc8511. doi:10.1126/science.abc8511
- Zhong D, Xiao S, Debes AK, et al. Durability of Antibody Levels After Vaccination With mRNA SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Individuals With or Without Prior Infection. JAMA. Published online November 01, 2021. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.19996
- https://www.medpagetoday.com/podcasts/trackthevax/95940?xid=nl_secondopinion_2021-12-05&eun=g1865104d0r
November 19, 2021
FAQ for the COVID-19 Vaccines
CLICK HERE to view the PDF from Dr. Naznin Jamal’s vaccine Q&A today.
November 16, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What COVID-19 vaccines are available and how many shots do I have to take?
A: The Pfizer vaccine is a two shot series and the two doses must be taken at least 21 days apart. The Moderna vaccine is a two shot series and the two doses must be taken at least 28 days apart. The Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccine is a one shot vaccine.
Q: Why are there multiple shots that have to be taken if you choose to receive the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine?
A: It is not uncommon for a vaccine to have multiple doses that are required. The Hepatitis vaccine is a three shot series and the MMR is a two shot series.
Q: Have any of the COVID-19 vaccines received full approval from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA)?
A: Currently, only the Pfizer vaccine has received full approval from the FDA. The Moderna and J&J vaccines are being used under an Emergency Use Authorization.
Q: What side effects might I have after I receive a COVID-19 vaccine?
A: The most common side effect that people experience is a sore arm that usually last for 2-3 days. Some people have experienced fever, body aches, and other flu-like symptoms that usually resolve within 24-48 hours. Taking Tylenol or Ibuprofen will help with side effects.
Q: Can I still get COVID after I have received the vaccine?
A: Yes, it is still possible that you could contract COVID-19 even though you are fully vaccinated. However, your chances of becoming seriously ill, having to be hospitalized or potentially dying from COVID-19 are greatly reduced.
Q: Could the COVID-19 vaccine cause me to have trouble having children?
A: Studies have shown that the COVID-19 vaccine will not impact your ability to conceive whether you are a male or a female. Studies also show that the COVID-19 vaccine does not cause an increase in the chances of a miscarriage or birth defects when women get the shot while they are pregnant.
Q: Is it safe for pregnant women to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
A: Yes. Most medical professionals will recommend that pregnant women get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Q: I am a healthy, young individual. Why should I get the COVID-19 vaccine?
A: While most of the COVID-19 patients have been in older age groups and with underlying health conditions, COVID-19 does not discriminate based on age and health status. We have had young, healthy individuals come down with COVID-19 and end up in our ICU on a ventilator. There have also been young, healthy people who died from COVID-19.
Q: Can I get my COVID vaccine and my flu shot on the same day?
A: Yes, there is no reason why you cannot get your flu shot and your COVID vaccine on the same day. A lot of places have been giving the shots at the same time.
Q: If I have had COVID, how long should I wait before I get my vaccine?
A: As long as you are out of your isolation period (typically 10 days from when your symptoms started), then it is safe for you to get your COVID vaccine.
Q: When can I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I received a monoclonal antibody infusion when I had COVID?
A: If you have recently had COVID-19 and received a monoclonal antibody (mab) infusion, then you must wait 90 days from the time you received your mab infusion before you get a COVID-19 vaccine. If you are unable to take the vaccine at this time because you have had a mab infusion, you must complete a medical exemption form and be granted a temporary medical exemption until such time as you can take the vaccine after your mab infusion.
Q: Is there any medical reason I cannot take the COVID-19 vaccine?
A: The primary medical reason for not taking the COVID-19 vaccine is if you have a history of severe reactions to other vaccines. You should discuss this with your physician. We have had several people with this history of severe reactions consult with their physician and take some extra precautions and be able to take the vaccine successfully. Your physician may have other reasons that he/she does not think the vaccine is medically safe for you. You should consult with them and then file for a medical exemption.
October 1, 2021
Currently In-House=7
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
September 21, 2021
Currently In-House=16
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
September 9, 2021
Currently In-House=19
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
September 7, 2021
Currently In-House=23
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
September 3, 2021
Currently In-House=17
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
August 31, 2021
Currently In-House=21
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
August 23, 2021
Currently In-House=21
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
August 20, 2021
Currently In-House=33
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
August 19, 2021
Currently In-House=33
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
August 17, 2021
Currently In-House=34
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
August 13, 2021
Currently In-House=35
Currently In-House Pending Results=1
August 12, 2021
Currently In-House=31
Currently In-House Pending Results=1
August 10, 2021
Currently In-House=29
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
August 9, 2021
Currently In-House=34
Currently In-House Pending Results=1
August 4, 2021
Currently In-House=24
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
August 4, 2021
Currently In-House=21
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
August 3, 2021
Currently In-House=21
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
August 2, 2021
Currently In-House=18
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
July 30 2021
Currently In-House=21
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
July 28, 2021
Currently In-House=21
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
July 27, 2021
Currently In-House=24
Currently In-House Pending Results=2
July 26, 2021
Currently In-House=25
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
July 23, 2021
Currently In-House=26
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
July 21, 2021
Currently In-House=24
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
July 20, 2021
Currently In-House=26
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
July 19, 2021
Currently In-House=27
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
July 16, 2021
Currently In-House=23
Currently In-House Pending Results=1
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Currently In-House=23
Currently In-House Pending Results=1
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Currently In-House=14
Currently In-House Pending Results=1
July 12, 2021
Currently In-House=15
Currently In-House Pending Results=1
July 9, 2021
Currently In-House=17
Currently In-House Pending Results=1
July 8, 2021
Currently In-House=17
Currently In-House Pending Results=1
July 7, 2021
Currently In-House=17
Currently In-House Pending Results=3
July 6, 2021
Currently In-House=14
Currently In-House Pending Results=2
July 2, 2021
Currently In-House=9
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
June 30, 2021
Currently In-House=12
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
June 29, 2021
Currently In-House=10
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
June 28, 2021
Currently In-House=10
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
June 25, 2021
Currently In-House=7
Currently In-House Pending Results=1
June 24, 2021
Currently In-House=5
Currently In-House Pending Results=0
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July 23, 2020
Command Center Update
- COVID+ patients are currently on 2CE and in ICU. COVID PUIs (persons under investigation) are placed on 3CE.
- Currently, CCU & 1CE are closed. They will re-open if needed and staffing is available.
- Please remember to communicate with family members who are unable to come inside due to visitation restrictions.
- Do not come to work if you are sick. Please contact your manager or employee health for further instructions.
- Patients who are screened via the drive thru or seen in the ER are called with positive results. Negative results will be in Jchart and instructions for access are provided to the patient after testing.
- No visitors allowed in patient rooms at this time.
- Surgery Waiting and Cath Lab waiting areas are open for one visitor accompanying each patient.
- No visitors allowed in Jefferson Regional Outpatient Clinics, Radiology or Lab waiting areas. (Exceptions may apply for cognitive or physical impairments.)
- Labor & Delivery patients may have one visitor.
- Patients under the age of 18 may have one visitor.
- Visitors for end of life patients are on a case-by-case basis and must have prior approval.
July 22, 2020
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June 26, 2020
New Visitor Policy Effective: June 29, 2020
- In unrestricted areas, one visitor per patient per day. No visitors allowed in certain areas.
- Visiting hours will be 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Overnight visitation may be approved under certain circumstances and must be approved in advance.
- All visitors must abide by the visitation guidelines and be screened daily.
- Rehab patients may have one visitor from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday – Saturday and Sundays 1:30 pm – 7 pm.
- ICU patients, who are negative for COVID-19, may have one visitor from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily
- Surgery Waiting Room and Cath Lab Waiting Rooms are open for the 1 visitor accompanying each patient.
- No visitors allowed in Radiology & Lab Waiting areas. Exceptions may apply for cognitive and physical impairments.
- Patients under 18 are allowed 2 visitors daily.
- All visitors must enter through the 40th Avenue entrance only.
- No visitors under 18 years of age.
- All visitors will be screened for COVID-19. People with fever, cough, sore throat or other flu-like symptoms are not permitted to visit any area of the hospital. People who have traveled to high-risk areas for COVID-19 or had contact with a person known to be infected with COVID-19 are not permitted to visit any area of the hospital.
- Please bring your mask if you have one.
- You will be asked to stay in the patient’s room.
- Cafeteria will be available. Please abide by the posted guidelines.
- Other visitation requests will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
June 18, 2020
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June 4, 2020
Arkansas Direct and Non-Direct Care Worker Payment Program
We have created a PDF of information concerning the worker payment program. Click the link below to access this PDF.
CLICK HERE FOR PDF FAQs and Q&As
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Resources:
April 10, 2020
Resources:
April 8, 2020
NOTE: Today the cafeteria has introduced new social distancing efforts as directed by the command center in accordance with CDC recommendations. We have placed blue tape on the floor at a distance of 6ft apart. The lines are for the display, hot line, deli, and cashiers. We have shut down the salad station, but put a larger variety and number of salads in our grab and go cooler. There is also salad available in the vending area. In addition, we will have 2 people on the hot line to expedite service. We will be doing our best with signage, education, logistics, and communication regarding these new procedures. Please help us spread the word and work with us to social distance and create the safest possible environment for all of us. Thank you, David Chacon, Director of Nutrition at Jefferson Regional.
Resources:
Interim Guidance for CPR and Emergency Care COVID-19
April 7, 2020
Resources:
April 6, 2020
Resources:
April 3, 2020
Resources:
April 2, 2020
Hear the latest from President and CEO Brian Thomas. Watch the video below.
Resources:
April 1, 2020
Early this morning we set up a video camera near our primary employee entrance and captured the thoughts and feelings of our employees during this difficult time. Watch the video below to see the reactions of our amazing staff members!
Mandatory Masks
As of 7 a.m. today, all employees should wear a mask anytime they are in the hospital. If an employee works in a private office or in an office where social distancing is possible, then the employee won’t need to wear it in that office. If you leave to go to the cafeteria or are sitting at the nurse’s station, then you should have a mask on. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Resources:
March 31, 2020
Resources:
March 30, 2020
Resources:
March 27, 2020
Resources:
COVID-19 Safety moment – Returning Home
Jefferson Regional Employee Assistance Program
Urine Specimens in Pneumatic Tube
March 26, 2020
Medical Update with Dr. Mohammad:
Resources:
Airborne/Droplet Precautions Explained
COVID-19 Critical Care Slides Dr. Mohammad
COVID-19 Jefferson Resources (Corrected)
March 25, 2020
Resources:
March 24, 2020
Resources:
Tips to manage your health at home
What to do if you get sick with COVID-19
Update:
- PPE Conservation
- Preserving PPE will be an ongoing daily shared goal between our caregivers and Central Supply department. Jefferson Regional sees PPE availability and preservation as one of our top priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to encourage care providers to understand the required PPE, the proper way to utilize it, and take part in ways to preserve it. Guidelines have been given to all employees via our leadership team. If you have questions, please reach out to your manager.
- Daily Jefferson Regional COVID statistics
- COVD 19 Positive Patients in house= 8
- COVD 19 Pending Test= 7
- Management of Inpatient COVID 19 Positive and Suspected Patients
- Starting today Dr. Jamal will be the Physician at Jefferson Regional who will oversee the management of COVD-19 positve and suspected patients. If you need guidance on the plan of care for one of these patients, please contact her.
- Elective Procedures
- Varied information has been shared, from different sources, regarding the canceling of elective procedures. Medical staff leadership has been following these recommendations daily, and are making determinations on how to adjust regarding the scheduling of these procedures.
- Donning and Doffing
- The term “donning and doffing” is used to refer to the practice of putting on (donning) and taking off (doffing) protective gear. Educational information has been distributed to staff, but due to the critical nature of these practices staff will be rounding to perform demonstrations and competency checks for the staff on the units. Please be looking for them and be prepared with any questions you may have.
- Cleaning of surfaces
- The virus can live on surfaces outside the body for extended amounts of times. It is very important that we are wiping down surfaces with Cavi wipes frequently. Some surfaces that require frequent wipe downs: phones, nurse’s desk counters, keyboards, mice, door handles, knobs, keypads, etc.
March 23, 2020
Recommended Link – Arkansas Department of Health:
https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/novel-coronavirus
N95 Respirators Update
N95 Respirators are required by members of our healthcare team that provide direct patient care to suspected and positive COVID-19 patients. Due to the global demand for these during the pandemic coupled with a shortage of supplies from areas that produce them and have already been impacted by the pandemic, there is a national shortage.
It is imperative that we, as a team, come together and support the staff in our organization requiring these masks today and the days ahead as we face the COVID-19 pandemic. We must emphasize that the days ahead are not certain in regards to the amount of patients we will see and the corresponding amount of N95s that will be required to care for them. What we are certain of is that the N95 mask supply will be in high demand by all healthcare facilities across the country.
We have set up a process with the command center and our clinical leaders to ensure the correct amount of N95s are distributed for the staff at the start of each shift. We will ensure these staff have what they need while maintaining a strict inventory daily.
There have been reports of theft of PPE by Jefferson Regional staff. We want our staff impacted by this to know that we take this seriously. If you witness someone stealing PPE from Jefferson Regional, please report this to your supervisor or the security department immediately. Your report will be anonymous.
We must work together during this time to protect those caring for these patients.
COVID 19 Staff FAQs
- Question: What are Jefferson Regional’s COVID 19 Statistics?
- Answer:
- 168 reported positive cases in AR
- 28 positives related to Jefferson Regional — 6 currently inpatient
- 67 negatives related to Jefferson Regional
- Jefferson Regional Employees –13 positive and 17 negative
- Question: What is Jefferson Regional doing to protect its staff?
- Answer: Jefferson Regional immediately pulled together a command center to evaluate the needs of the hospital and provide support to the staff during this time. Below are some things we have implemented:
- PPE: We have a daily count of staff, patients requiring isolation, and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) on hand. Each day we evaluate the “days on hand” number of critical PPE that we have. CSR leadership has developed and refined processes to effectively allocate these to the staff who need them while ensuring that we are all doing our part to preserve the PPE.
- Question: I’ve heard a lot about the different masks. What should I be doing?
- Answer: There are two different types of masks you will hear about. For this answer we will refer to them as N95 and non-N95. Below is what these are and how they should be used.
- N95- These are only required by the staff providing direct care for suspected/ positive COVID 19 patients. These have a special make-up that filter the virus and protect the healthcare workers that are in close extended contact with these patients.
- Non-N95- You will hear these referred to as “surgical masks” and there are a few versions of them. These do NOT protect you from the virus. These masks were distributed to the staff to wear with direct patient care and to the patients who were being transferred about the building. The decision to do this was made as we saw community exposure pick up. The patients at Jefferson Regional are included in the “high risk” population and we must be vigilant to prevent the spread within our facility. By wearing these masks during direct patient care, we are decreasing the risk of our healthcare providers with community exposure passing the virus to a patient.
- Question: How are we “quarantining” or isolating the patients with positive or suspected COVD-19?
- Answer: Jefferson Regional has identified specific areas for medical and intensive level of care for these patients. We have developed a process to identify patients under investigation and positive test results to ensure these patients are quickly relocated to these identified areas. We also have a process that identifies when a patient on one of those units has been “cleared” of suspicion and is moved to a regular unit. This allows us to ensure specific groups of staff, who are becoming the “experts” on caring for these patients, are providing the care and it also allows us to monitor and reduce PPE usage.
- Question: The visitor policy is difficult. Are there any exceptions?
- Answer: We realize visitor restrictions are hard for our patients and families. It is necessary to enforce these policies in order to protect the patients. However, there will be exceptions for extenuating circumstances; such as end of life situations. If you need help with a visitor exception, contact the command center at extension 3134 for guidance. We are available 24/7.
