The CEO of Savannah, Ga,-based St. Joseph's/Candler said healthcare workers feel betrayed by those who are skeptical about getting vaccinated against COVID-19, as infection rates peak nationwide, according to NBC-affiliate WSAV 3.
Paul Hinchey, the CEO of St. Joseph's/Candler, urged residents to get vaccinated.
"Let's do it for the sake of the community; it's not a racial thing, it's not a [political] thing, it's not a financial thing, it's just being a good Savannahian in Chatham County so we all can take care of each other," he said.
Mr. Hinchey said his health system is discharging 15 to 20 patients daily, but 10 COVID-19-positive patients replace them. He said 20 patients are waiting for hospital beds on stretchers at any given time. The average age of hospitalized patients is 54, a drop of 10 to 12 years from before vaccines were available.
Mr. Hinchey said his healthcare workers "feel betrayed" by the county's unvaccinated residents. To date, 43 percent of county residents are fully vaccinated, and nearly half have received one dose.
"The caregivers are not only frustrated, they feel betrayed … and the reason they feel betrayed is they can't get their arms around the fact that the vaccination rate is not higher than it is in the community," Mr. Hinchey said.
He said unvaccinated residents may regret their decision to not get vaccinated later.
"You'll have regrets years from now, and why have regrets when something can be done about it?" Mr. Hinchey said. "[Life's] a gift; don't play Russian Roulette with it."