Dear Patient:
I hope this finds you well and I would like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. Currently there are 51 persons hospitalized at NCH with COVID and we have treated 1365 people in the hospital successfully since the beginning of the pandemic. NCH has completed over 41 thousand tests. You may find the following information regarding holiday travel and having a safe Thanksgiving useful:
6 things doctors wish patients knew about flying during the pandemic
While COVID-19 cases continue to swiftly rise and people are encouraged to celebrate virtually, here’s what you should know if you decide to fly. Read more from the AMA.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/thanksgiving.html
Vaccines: NCH and SW Florida will not receive the very first batch of vaccines as they will be going to the metropolitan areas in Florida. However, NCH is prepared with the freezer capacity and is developing a distribution plan.
U.S. officials plan to release 6.4 million coronavirus vaccine doses nationwide in initial distribution after the first vaccine is cleared by regulators.
Reuters (11/24, Spalding, O’Donnell) reports U.S. officials announced “they plan to release 6.4 million COVID-19 vaccine doses nationwide in an initial distribution after the first one is cleared by regulators for emergency use.” The officials “told reporters that states and other jurisdictions had been informed on Friday of their estimated vaccine allocations in the first shipments so they can begin planning for how to best distribute it to their high-risk populations.”
The Hill (11/24, Hellmann
Below is a link for Collier County testing sites:
http://collier.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2020/06/0601testinginformation.htmll
Below is the link to the updated NCH COVID information page:
https://nchmd.org/news-and-events/newsroom/coronavirus-covid19
Wishing each and every one of you a Happy and safe Thanksgiving!
Paul Jones MD