KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mosaic Medical Center President Jon Doolittle said that things are "escalating very quickly" with the increase of COVID-19 cases throughout the state.
Doolittle posted on Facebook talking about what he has seen with COVID-19 in his hospital and heard through speaking with health care leaders across the state.
He said in the post that there was a look of sadness on physicians and hospital leaders faces this week when participating in a video meeting.
"We have definitive proof that delta is here in Gentry and Worth counties, also and case growth is happening here like it happened in Springfield over the past two month," Doolittle said in the post. "We have reason to believe that we're headed for a COVID spike that is worse than any we've seen so far in this region. I hope we aren't."
The delta variant became the prominent variant in the U.S. in early July.
Doolittle goes on to describe how Mosaic's caregivers celebrated three months ago that there were no COVID-19 patients at any of their hospitals, and as of last Tuesday, Mosaic has over 50 patients. One of those patients is 29 years old and is currently on a ventilator, according to his post.
Doolittle said he has not pressured anyone to get the vaccine, and he wants people to do their "own mental math" when deciding to be vaccinated.
"I do want to let you know that I truly believe deep down that the presence of this delta variant has changed the 'mental math' risk calculation that thoughtful people have been doing and that I hope people will strongly consider vaccination and other means of protecting themselves in the days and weeks ahead," Doolittle wrote.
He said that Mosaic Family Care has Pfizer vaccine appointments, the only vaccine approved for ages 12-17, available for anyone ages 12 and up.
"I have loved the relative calm of the past three months, and I do not want to see a return of COVID-19 in a form that is even more transmissible and dangerous," Doolittle wrote. "I saw the faces of colleagues that are dealing with it, and I feel the need to share that with you."
