Reflecting on five years of COVID: A message from CHCC’s medical director
As I think back to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I remember a time when everything was new and uncertain. We didn’t have ways to prevent or treat the virus, and communities everywhere faced the difficult reality of lockdowns.
People were becoming sick and dying quickly. Nursing home outbreaks in many places led to tragic losses. The daily anxiety of that time is something I won’t forget—seeing patients die and feeling helpless.
Back then, I predicted COVID would last five years, and here we are, nearly five years later. CHCC has faced many hardships due to COVID, but thanks to community-wide efforts, determined staff and the prayers of many, it did not experience the tragic death rates that occurred in many other long-term care centers.
Now, I’m grateful to look back and see how much we have learned about protecting ourselves from COVID and its most severe effects. Vaccines have made an enormous difference, not only in reducing infection but especially in lowering hospitalizations and fatalities.
We now know that masking helps prevent the spread and contraction of the virus. Because of these advances, COVID’s mortality rate is now only slightly higher than influenza for those who are vaccinated.
As a community, we have come together to safeguard our most vulnerable. I encourage everyone to continue this diligence. Please protect yourselves and others by getting both your COVID and influenza vaccines.
Angie Lee, MD
Medical director
Christian Health Care Center