Nearly three weeks after receiving the initial shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine, ThedaCare is in the final stages of vaccinating Phase 1a team members who are choosing to receive the vaccine.
On Jan. 13, ThedaCare President and CEO, Imran A. Andrabi, MD, FAAFP, received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I am humbled to receive the COVID-19 vaccine today,” said Dr. Andrabi. “The vaccines are a turning point in the pandemic. ThedaCare is doing everything we can to provide outstanding, safe care, and I am extremely proud of the team members who have continued to provide that care for our patients throughout this pandemic.”
Federal and state authorities call for health care personnel to be offered vaccines in the first phase of the program, including providers, health system workers, emergency responders and long-term care staff. Initial efforts were aimed to help reduce mortality and protect the infrastructure of health care delivery, protecting clinicians and support staff to provide critical services to our community. ThedaCare vaccinated its own team members in this first phase, as well as affiliated physicians, those providers with privileges at our hospitals, and first responders such as EMTs with ambulance services.
After those frontline team members and those who work in hospitals or clinics were offered the vaccine, availability was then extended to include all ThedaCare team members. As a health care system which employees nearly 7,000 people in Northeast and Central Wisconsin, ThedaCare is committed to providing vaccinations at the direction of DHS and in concert with public health.
“The health and safety of our patients, team members and the community continue to be our number one priority,” said Dr. Andrabi. “This may be a new vaccine, but we are by no means new to the practice of consistent, reliable and effective distribution of vaccines to those we serve throughout all corners of our service area. Be assured that as we advance upon this long-awaited milestone, we are prepared to confidently lead our team members and the communities we serve through what promises to be a multi-month process.”
ThedaCare has expanded vaccination sites to include all seven hospital campuses. Teams are developing the best infrastructure possible to help us prepare when the time comes to begin offering the vaccine to the greater community as recommended by federal and state authorities.
“As we continue to navigate this pandemic, immediate, individual and collective action will help keep ourselves and others safe,” said Dr. Andrabi. “We urge all members of our communities to continue safe behaviors to slow the spread of the coronavirus, including masking, staying home when ill and avoiding gatherings with those outside your immediate household.”
ThedaCare leaders are asking that patients do not call their health care providers to schedule a vaccination at this time, and there are no wait lists for the vaccine. Support of vaccination plans will require timely and accurate information to be readily available, and ThedaCare remains committed to sharing as it becomes available. For continued updates, visit ThedaCareCOVID19.org.
