Two leaders at Missouri hospitals are urging their communities to get vaccinated against COVID-19 amid a virus surge.
On July 23, Springfield, Mo.-based Mercy Hospital was treating 155 COVID-19 patients, with 5 percent fully vaccinated against the disease, according to a tweet from Erik Frederick, the hospital's chief administrative officer.
"I think the message is obvious at this point," he tweeted. "Get vaccinated, stay safe. Keep the people around you safe. Keep our community safe. Get back to normal. Our hospitals can't get back to normal until the community does."
Nearby Springfield-based CoxHealth was treating 162 COVID-19 patients July 22, Steve Edwards, president and CEO, tweeted.
"A week ago we sadly surpassed the 500 lost lives mark," the tweet reads, "We have lost 26 more in the last 7 days. To all the families, I am so sorry, I feel riddled with guilt that we have not [been] able to speak loud and clearly enough to encourage more vaccinations."
Both leaders have continued to tweet dates, times and locations of vaccination clinics and sites in their communities.