Vaccines Are Priority for SCMH Providers

SMITH CENTER, Kan. – The providers and administration at Smith County Memorial Hospital are encouraging the public to get a vaccine to protect against COVID-19.

“We know the last 18 months have been challenging for some, and others have hardly felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Ferrill Conant, a family practice physician at the hospital and the county’s health officer. “In Smith County, we are fortunate to have experienced relatively low incidence and hospitalization due to the virus.”

Hospital CEO, Allen Van Driel and the medical staff are pleased to see that the approval for the Pfizer vaccine has been completed and hope that more approvals come quickly.

“Now that Pfizer has received full approval for those 16 and older, it will only be a matter of time before Moderna is also approved,” Van Driel said. “We have always felt these vaccines were safe and extremely effective and now there is even more proof that is the case.”

The medical staff had seen a slow-down in those interested in receiving the shot and hope this change to the status of Pfizer’s immunization helps relieve public concerns.

“The lack of approval has been a stumbling block for several patients we’ve seen,” Conant said. “As providers, we know the research that went into these vaccines was sound and included as much data as any medical trial but the public has had a hard time with the word ‘emergency’ and many people wanted to wait to receive the vaccine.”

While Pfizer’s vaccine has not been fully approved for ages 12 through 15, they may still get the immunization under the emergency authorization.

“We’re encouraging parents to consider this as they send kids back to school,” Conant said. “The team here has seen an increase in respiratory illness and that’s come from a return to ‘normal’ activities throughout the spring and summer.”

Conant and the rest of the medical team want to do their part to help the area return to normal activities.

He explains that respiratory illness, such as RSV, influenza or pneumonia are not always severe and can usually be managed at home. Last winter, the team at SCMH saw a decrease in these illnesses while people were being more careful about handwashing and staying home when ill.

“The fall and winter are typically when we see increased illness in patients,” Conant said. “As always our priority is to patients and preventing illness, every kind of illness, not just COVID-19, from the start is our first choice.”

The medical team wants to keep those numbers low and reduce incidence of illness throughout the fall and into the winter. Van Driel agrees with the medical team’s approach.

“As we see growing cases of COVID-19 and renewed regulations, we want to do our part to help prevent measures that limit an individual’s ability to visit family, attend large gatherings or return to work,” he said. “Our staff knows the best way to ensure this is to continue promoting vaccines, good hand hygiene and asking people to stay home when they are sick.”