The Delta Variant: A Message from Dr. Keith Moss, Chief Medical Officer
To: All Staff
From: Keith Moss, MD, CMO/CMIO
Subject: COVID Delta Variant
I want to discuss with all of you some disturbing information about COVID and the delta variant, which has become the dominant variant in the United States.
There are two primary reasons for our concern.
First, this variant is much more contagious. When we were dealing with the original COVID strain, one person could transmit the virus to three people on average. With this variant, one person generally spreads the virus to 10 people. That means the virus spreads much faster, and to many more people than ever before.
The second major concern is that this variant is affecting younger people–causing far more severe disease, hospitalizations, and deaths in younger age groups. This is what we are seeing in the Springfield Missouri area currently.
Today, we are seeing a significant increase in infections from the delta variant in Iroquois County. This is hitting close to home and current projections from Mayo Clinic suggest that a surge in cases will hit Kankakee County starting in two weeks.
This creates a call to action. Get vaccinated!
We know that 99.5% of people dying from COVID right now are unvaccinated. And we also know that even with the delta variant our current Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are over 90% effective in preventing serious illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths.
Don’t be the one who regrets not getting vaccinated. Do this for yourself, your family, your friends, and those you serve.
Request your vaccine today or ask questions by emailing [email protected]. Please include your name and preferred phone number in your email.
Resources for more information about the delta variant:
