Dr. Bryan Williams wistfully recalls the public's enthusiastic support for medical providers early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Deep into 2021, it's a distant memory as he and his colleagues at M Health Fairview hospitals battle a virus fiercely resurgent in Minnesota.
Williams is a pulmonary critical care specialist, and he cares for those severely ill from COVID. At his health care system and elsewhere, staffing ranks are thinner, with colleagues retiring early, moving to less stressful positions, or taking a leave of absence.
The providers who remain are exhausted. Emergency rooms are jammed, with even waiting rooms running out of space. Patients are often younger, sometimes with small children robbed by COVID of a parent. Maybe most disheartening is this: It didn't have to be this way, with vaccines widely available.
"There was this sentiment. You're our heroes. We'll do anything to help. The question is why doesn't some of that still go on?" Williams said. "That loss of support and feeling kind of left alone has been one of the toughest pills to swallow."
Health care providers like Williams aren't asking for parades or fly-by salutes. What they need is action to ease their days. Specifically, that means all Minnesotans getting the best possible medicine against COVID — vaccines and boosters — and taking sensible precautions like masking to avoid maxing out hospitals.
This is an entirely reasonable ask. Masking is a small inconvenience. The shots are free, and there's still time for their protection to kick in even as the surge worsens. State and federal health officials also have heeded the Star Tribune Editorial Board's call to clarify and broaden booster eligibility, so getting this additional protection against infection and severe illness is even easier.
The state's medical society is amplifying Williams' concerns. It issued an urgent plea this week to help weary providers. The Minnesota Medical Association (MMA) represents 12,000 doctors, residents and medical students. "Health care workers will continue to do their jobs, but we are struggling, and we need help,'' said MMA President Dr. Randy Rice.
Coming to the aid of overwhelmed medical staffers is just one of many reasons to get vaccinated. As of Friday, the majority of Minnesota adults had taken this responsible step, with 74.7% of those 18 and up considered fully vaccinated. But the overall vaccination rate needs to be higher to thwart COVID's spread. Immunizing our way to "herd immunity" is much safer than acquiring antibodies the other way — by getting sick with COVID.
