Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center Issues Statement on COVID-19

Jasper – Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center released the following statement in regards to COVID-19:

COVID-19 cases continue to rise nationally and unfortunately, we are seeing similar trends in our region. Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center (MHHCC) is seeing increases in the number of COVID-19 tests and positivity rates. In the past seven days, MHHCC has tested 818 patients and 220 of those tested were positive for COVID-19.

Currently, there are 17 patients admitted as inpatients at Memorial Hospital with COVID-19. Of these 17 patients, only one is fully vaccinated. “Almost every patient admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 in the past couple weeks have not received the COVID-19 vaccination - either by choice or they just haven’t gotten around to it. It’s really sad when you see 30 and 40-yearold patients who get admitted to the hospital that end up on a ventilator when it likely could’ve been prevented with a vaccination” said Dr. Michael Johns, Hospitalist at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center.

The CDC continues to highly recommend that all eligible people get the Covid-19 vaccine to protect themselves. Knowing the vaccination does not result in 100% protection, basic precautions such as hand-washing, avoiding crowds, social distancing, and mask wearing still apply. Visit https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/vaccine/ or dial 211 to schedule a vaccine appointment.

To continue to keep our caregivers, patients and patient families safe, we ask you to continue to wear a mask inside of any Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center facility and urge you to do so in the community as well.