By Ted Shaw, President/CEO, Texas Hospital Association
As the rate of COVID-19 hospitalization increases, the impact of the delta variant is in clear focus. Transmission of the delta variant poses an incredible risk to our communities. With that challenge, however, comes an important opportunity to strengthen and sharpen the defenses that we know work.
Wearing a face mask, practicing social distancing, and adhering to health experts’ guidance are critical to mitigate disease spread. But vaccination is our very best defense and the key to ending this pandemic and saving lives. Health care providers and allied health professionals well know that Texas is home to pockets of vaccine-hesitant individuals. The rate of delta transmission, particularly among unvaccinated individuals, undoubtedly is and will continue to strain our health care infrastructure. For hospitals and health care providers, the response is clear: protect your staff and their ability to deliver care and strengthen your commitment to increasing vaccine confidence.
Since the pandemic began, hospitals and other providers experienced considerable staffing challenges. But those issues were ameliorated with contracted staffing assistance from the state.
Last month, however, the state leaders indicated that Texas would not resume the state-supplied staffing services it had provided earlier in the pandemic. Instead, local governments were encouraged to support local health care systems using federal funds provided for the COVID-19 response. While this strategy will prove helpful for many providers, it cannot match the sweeping support needed across the state to care for the disproportionate number of Texans who will need intensive health care services.
As the delta variant continues to spread, Texans’ other health care needs do not stop. Cutting or limiting service delivery lines is not a sustainable solution or beneficial to Texans’ overall health care needs. Employers should take care to meaningfully support and retain their staff during this tumultuous time. Providers should identify creative solutions to mitigate staffing shortages and still are encouraged to communicate staffing needs via the State of Texas Assistance Request process, better known as a “STAR” request.
In addition, we must continue to urge vaccination both among patients and health care personnel. For providers, immunization against vaccine-preventable disease is an important first step to ensure a robust health care workforce and to protect patients’ health and safety. Hospitals also are doing their part to offer vaccination to eligible patients upon discharge.
Education also is essential to ensure vaccine confidence and uptake. Hospitals and other providers should work together to increase education and outreach related to vaccine efficacy and safety. To the extent possible, providers should consider opportunities to collaborate with community partners that represent, engage or support vaccine-hesitant populations.
Too few Texans are fully vaccinated for the state to be well protected. Yet in-person learning will resume for many this month and local municipalities, such as cities, counties, schools, local health departments, and other government entities, legally cannot require masking in Texas.
The path to ending the pandemic is vaccination. Vaccination saves lives and reduces disease acuity.