Open Accessibility Menu
Hide

DCH Coronavirus Update 7-21-21

DCH Coronavirus Update 7-21-21

Following is a message that was sent out to all DCH employees this afternoon. We felt it would be beneficial for the public to understand the current situation and measures DCH is taking with its own staff to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations.

Employee Vaccination Prizes

DCH would prefer to not require the COVID-19 vaccine among its employees, so we are asking you to please get it now if you have not already. We feel this is so important that today we are announcing a chance to win extra time off if you get fully vaccinated by Sept. 3, 2021.

Recently the Alabama Department of Public Health shared that unvaccinated people represented 96.2 percent of COVID-19 related deaths in Alabama since April 1. Additionally, the Alabama Hospital Association shared the results of a hospital survey in which more than 90 percent of COVID-19 positive inpatients had not been vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines are keeping people from getting critically ill; they are working.

We thought we might be past the worst of COVID-19, but across the country we have seen rapid increases in inpatient volumes. We are starting to see those increases at DCH.

Health care workers potentially interact with those who have COVID and are therefore at risk. You are our community’s health care lifeline. We need you to be protected.

Additionally, as health care workers, our community looks to us for advice. They look to see how we respond to health issues. It is very important that we lead the way and help the community to understand the importance of this vaccine. One of the best ways to teach is by example.

Vaccination Details

  • Employee Health continues to administer the Pfizer COVID vaccine and will again be available in the Oak Room at DCH Regional Medical Center on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. They will be available in the Oak Room starting this Friday and no appointment is required.
  • The Pfizer vaccine requires TWO doses with a minimum of 21 days apart.
  • In order to qualify for the grand prize, you must receive BOTH doses of the vaccine by no later than Sept. 3, which means you must receive the first dose by Aug. 13.
  • Employees who receive the vaccine elsewhere must provide proof of being fully vaccinated to Employee Health by no later than Sept. 3.

Prizes Details

  • On Sept. 7, employees who have been fully vaccinated (even those who were vaccinated prior to this announcement) will be entered into the drawing.
  • 12 prizes of eight hours of CTO/PTO.
  • Three grand prizes of 40 hours of CTO/PTO.
  • Winners will have CTO/PTO added to their bank of time. Like any other CTO/PTO, its use must be approved by the employee’s manager.
  • Must be employed to win. SLT and Employee Health are not eligible to win.

COVID-19 Information

To protect patient privacy, DCH has established a minimum threshold of five for reporting numbers of inpatients with laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19.

DCH Health System internal counts as of 3:02 p.m. on 7/21/21:

  • 23 inpatients within the DCH system who are positive for COVID-19.
  • Eight inpatients who are positive for COVID-19 are being treated in the ICU.
  • Five or fewer inpatients who are positive for COVID-19 are on ventilators.
  • Five or fewer who are positive for COVID-19 are on a BiPAP.
  • 9,017 (cumulative) unique positives for COVID-19 tests including results from the ED, triage tent and inpatient. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
  • 46,018 (cumulative) unique negatives for COVID-19 at DCH sites.
  • 10,942 (cumulative) positive COVID-19 at DCH sites. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
  • 89,583 (cumulative) negative tests at DCH sites.
  • 3,194 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have been discharged.
  • 558 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died at DCH. This is not an indication of the cause of death, only that the individuals were positive for COVID-19 at the time of death.
  • 314 Tuscaloosa County residents (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died (per the Alabama Department of Public Health).

Update_21July2021

Testing_21July2021