With the recent resurgence of COVID-19 in Eddy County, and particularly in Carlsbad, it is more important than ever that each of us does our part to reduce the spread of the virus. Wear a mask in public settings. Practice social distancing. Be vigilant about washing your hands. And most importantly, get vaccinated.
Misinformation about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines is rampant in communities across the country, including ours. The best available scientific information indicates:
- COVID-19 vaccines are safe. The same safety standards required for any vaccine in development have been required for COVID-19 vaccines. Incidents of serious side effects are very rare.
- Data shows COVID-19 vaccines to be highly effective at reducing the risk of becoming infected and spreading infection to others and effective against many of the variants now sweeping the country.
- COVID-19 has a significant risk of transmission both before the onset of symptoms and in the absence of symptoms. These risks are substantially higher among unvaccinated individuals.
- Among unvaccinated individuals, COVID-19 infections pose a substantial risk of severe illness and death and may lead to long-term adverse impacts to health. These risks are higher among those individuals with certain underlying health conditions, like many patients in hospitals or who are seen in hospital-based ambulatory settings.
Vaccines remain the best strategy for reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our community. We encourage anyone with questions to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, the New Mexico Department of Health website or speak with your doctor to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines. The power to blunt the impact of the virus rests with all of us.
For those who are ready to be vaccinated, there are several opportunities to do so. Most drugstores, including CVS, Walgreens and Wal-Mart are currently offering COVID-19 vaccinations. Also, the New Mexico Department of Health has announced that vaccinations will be offered during the month of August from 8:30am – 11am every Monday and Friday (except for holidays) at the Carlsbad Public Health Office, located at 1306 W. Stevens Street. The Artesia Public Health Office, located at 1001 W. Memorial Drive, is offering vaccinations from 1-4pm every Thursday. For more information, call the Carlsbad office at 575-885-4191 or the Artesia office at 575-746-9819.
Our facility and our affiliated physician clinics remain open, and we remain committed to providing a COVID-safe environment so everyone can obtain the medical care they need. We would like to remind the community to not delay care – especially when experiencing a medical emergency such as stroke symptoms or chest pain that may be a heart attack. We remain consistent in following CDC guidelines, including requiring all visitors and staff to wear a mask at all times in the hospital.
Lastly, I want to take an opportunity to acknowledge the hospital staff who have been on the front lines of our community’s fight against COVID-19 for more than a year. They have consistently risen to the challenges presented and continue to work tirelessly to care for our patients, each other and you. Each of them deserves our endless gratitude.
Nick Arledge, CEO
Carlsbad Medical Center