Bothwell Regional Health Center sent an urgent plea to the community from the hospital medical staff on Friday. They're urging the community to get vaccinated in the face of increasing COVID-19 admissions to the hospital, and the Pettis County Health Center's report that there has been a 175% increase in COVID-19 cases in the previous seven days.

As previously reported, Bothwell Hospital has started testing all admissions for COVID-19. And has stopped visitation for patients who test positive for the coronavirus and patients waiting for results of a COVID-19 test.

Additionally, the hospital is asking people to visit patients less if possible. Always wear a mask in Bothwell Regional Health facilities. Seriously consider getting vaccinated against COVID-19. And if experiencing any of the following symptoms to stay home: runny nose, sore throat, diarrhea, and brain fog. The hospital has also increased security at the main entrance to help manage an increase in the number of people who don't wish to follow the rules.

Runny nose, sore throat, diarrhea, and brain fog are the main symptoms of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus now present in our area. Bothwell Regional Health Center says,

Covid is not gone as we all wish it was. The number of people in our hospital is increasing daily; today there are 10 with several on ventilators. And because the current virus variant symptoms are different from the original, many people don’t believe they are ill with it and are subsequently spreading illness in our community.

Bothwell Regional Health Center does share some good news. The in-hospital testing system is efficient and the wait for results is short. And, Bothwell has seen an increase in people wanting to get the COVID-19 vaccine so they have added vaccine clinic dates. You can find all of Bothwell's vaccination clinic information on their website.

LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.

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