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‘Sounding the alarm’

UnityPoint releases new video imploring residents to get vaccinated

Eleven lives lost in three days.

That’s one account from a Des Moines doctor featured in a new video released by UnityPoint Health on Thursday. The video titled “Sounding the Alarm for Healthcare Workers,” implores residents to get vaccinated. It features short clips of nurses and doctors sharing their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the video, a doctor said during his careeer he had never seen so many lives lost in such a short span.

“Despite the availability of vaccines and booster doses, the year ahead isn’t shaping up how we imagined,” said Dr. Dave Williams, UnityPoint Health chief clinical officer. “We’ve spent the past two years fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of the pleas we’ve shared sound like a broken record.”

Williams said the hope is that the firsthand accounts of doctors will reach more people, convincing them to get vaccinated.

“Our reality is stark — our teams face staffing shortages, long hours, a new variant and overwhelming patient volumes, as well as a continual wave of avoidable suffering,” Williams said. “It’s disheartening. We’re hoping a series of firsthand accounts from our nurses, doctors, clinicians and care teams will help reignite the urgency to care for healthcare workers once again.”

Williams said when asked about their day-to-day difficulties, and what people can do to be part of the solution, UnityPoint Health teams had a lot to say.

“We captured them, in their own words,” Williams said. “UnityPoint Health is sharing an important message.”

The video can be viewed on YouTube or on UnityPoint Health social media channels.

The video description reads, “We are at war with COVID-19 and there’s only one way to end it. Get vaccinated. Get your booster. Tell others to do the same. Listen to our teams bare their hearts and spread this message. We can’t go on like this.”

Williams encourages people to share the video with friends, families and followers.

“Get vaccinated against COVID-19,” Williams said. “Get your booster. Encourage your family and friends who are unvaccinated to do the same.”

Here is a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSgypJ-73oA

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