COVID-19 Community Briefings

Halloween is right around the corner, and while many Georgians are planning to celebrate this year, many may have questions about how to do so safely.

Wellstar’s very own Dr. Branstetter recently shared his recommendations to minimize the risk from the triple-demic and to keep family and friends safe while celebrating holiday occasions such as Halloween by ensuring you are up to date with the latest vaccines that help prepare our immune systems to prevent illnesses. 

"Some of my patients have already elected to get both their COVID and influenza shots. I don't think there is a perfect way that we need to go through and get these vaccines. The important thing is, if they're indicated for you and you're due for a vaccine, go ahead and get those done." - Dr. Danny Branstetter, Medical Director for Infection Prevention at Wellstar Health System in the Marietta Daily Journal

Millions of people in the U.S. and around the globe, including children of all ages, look forward to the festivities of Halloween. But–lest we forget–it's virus season, and RSV, flu, and COVID-19 are still lurking in the shadows. How can we celebrate while keeping our families, friends, and neighbors safe from the community spread of these viruses, which is essential to everyone's health and well-being? Get creative and think about safety. Think "TREAT!"

Let's Trick-or-TREAT

Wellstar has created these tips for a healthy Halloween celebration while keeping in mind it's a holiday full of tricks and TREATS!

• T – TRUST YOUR JUDGMENT - Take safety precautions during the holidays, like washing your hands, spending time outdoors to help minimize close contact with others, and staying home if anyone in your family has flu-like symptoms. Making good and healthy decisions is the key to reducing exposure to viruses. 
• R – ROADWAYS - Remember to watch the roadways on Halloween! Lack of visibility from dusk into the evening while children and families are trick-or-treating can be dangerous. Watch for children in dark clothing on roadways, medians, curbs, driveways, and alleys. Consider adding reflective tape to children's costumes and never assume the right of way; just because you can see a car doesn't mean they can see you. Let's keep everyone safe this spooky season!
• E – EAT- Halloween is an opportunity to avoid being tricked by treats. Make sure children wait to return home before consuming candy, helping prevent any reactions to food allergens. Allow time for inspecting potentially tampered-with goodies, only consume factory-wrapped treats, and toss any spoiled or suspicious items. Examine treats like stickers and candy wrappers for choking hazards and monitor the amount of sugar consumed. 
• A – AVOID - Trick-or-treating alone can be a hazard; ensure a trusted, responsible adult accompanies children on their adventure. You can walk in groups or implement the buddy system in the neighborhood. Steer clear of distracted walking by staying off our phones while trick-or-treating. Avoid spooky situations and only approach homes with the porch light on!
• T – TECHNOLOGY - Whether you are looking to plan the best trick-or-treating route, watching movies, or connecting with family and friends across the miles, technology can help unite us this holiday season. If you have a household with immunocompromised members, think about hosting a virtual pumpkin-carving contest or FaceTime a kid's costume fashion show to help families have holiday fun while staying safe.

Wellstar is committed to providing high-quality, tailored and compassionate care. For more information and the latest updates on COVID-19, visit wellstar.org/COVID-19.

Six major health systems that serve metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia have unified to address the public regarding the latest COVID-19 impacts and the result of the rapid  spread of the Delta and Omicron variants.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory Healthcare, Grady Health System, Northeast Georgia Health System, Piedmont Healthcare and Wellstar Health System are once again experiencing a staggering surge in adults and children with COVID-19 symptoms and diagnoses. Collectively, the healthcare systems have experienced 100–200% increases in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the past eight days and the vast majority of inpatients are unvaccinated. This comes at a time when the health systems are preparing for an influx of patients with seasonal flu.

Emergency room activity has also increased significantly for both emergent and non-emergent situations, including those seeking COVID-19 testing without the need for further care or treatment. To keep emergency rooms available to individuals who have the most critical health needs, individuals should obtain care at the most appropriate medical facility for their condition and seek COVID-19 testing at primary care locations, public health and mass testing sites or use at-home testing kits.

While hospitals in metro Atlanta and throughout Georgia have best practices in place to actively manage capacity and provide high-quality patient care, we need the public’s help and support. Doing the following will help us all navigate this significant wave, minimize serious illness and hospitalizations from COVID, and better manage emergency room diversions and wait times at our facilities:

• Get fully vaccinated for COVID-19, obtain the COVID-19 booster when eligible and get the seasonal flu vaccine.
• Go to the most appropriate medical facility for your condition when you require care — and do not delay care if you are in need of immediate medical attention.
• Please remember that emergency rooms are for those seeking examination and treatment for medical emergencies, not for routine COVID-19 testing or mild symptoms.
• Please only call 911 with a true emergency. Local 911 operators and EMTs are overwhelmed with calls, so if there is not a real emergency, please call your medical provider for guidance.
• Use at-home testing kits, public health testing locations or independent testing facilities if you need to be tested for COVID-19 unless you are ill and need medical care.
• For routine COVID-19 tests, you can find a location near you on the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) website at: dph.georgia.gov/covidtesting.
• Consult your provider for appropriate treatment options if you are diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Continue to actively follow CDC and DPH guidelines, and practice the “3 Ws” safety measures — wear a mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance.
• Anticipate increased wait times for medical services. Due to the influx of patients and increased demands placed on our health care workforce, we ask everyone who enters our facilities to practice patience and kindness with each other and with our care team members who are providing expert, compassionate care.

The health and safety of our patients and communities remains our top priority. The six metro Atlanta health care systems will continue to work together to educate and inform the public regarding COVID-19 and address the most critical health needs impacting our area. We also would like to express our appreciation to the Governor for his support of our workforce and the newly announced funding to address staffing shortages at hospitals across the state due to COVID-19, and to the Georgia Department of Public Health for continued outreach to the public regarding issues affecting our patients, care team members and community.

For more than a year, our communities have done their part to fight COVID-19.  

We have stayed home, worn masks when we’ve gone out, been extra careful with washing our hands and avoided large gatherings. That’s meant that holidays and birthdays have looked a little different, all so we can stay safe and healthy. 

The separation and fear have been draining, and many of us have dealt with loneliness and stress as we worry about our health and our loved ones. 

But now we have something to celebrate. Hope has arrived in the form of the COVID-19 vaccine. All Georgians age 12 or older are now eligible to get their shots. 

At Wellstar, we've chosen to lead by example. Across our health system, frontline healthcare workers and leadership have "stuck it to COVID." Whether they want to gather with friends and family, travel to a new destination or help protect vulnerable members of the community, our Wellstar team members all have their #MyWhy — the reason they chose to get vaccinated. 

For Dr. Jeffrey Hines, chief of gynecologic oncology for Wellstar, getting the shot was about a sense of responsibility. As medical director of the Wellstar Center for Health Equity, Dr. Hines works to ensure our underserved populations have access to the care they need to stay safe and healthy. He got the COVID-19 vaccine to protect those around him. 

“I’m a father, I’m a husband, I’m a brother and I’m a grandfather, and it’s important for me to protect my family,” Dr. Hines said. “I understand the science, and the science is important, but equally important to me is I want to be a trusted voice to people in the community who are most at risk for this and perhaps may have the most questions.” 

Dr. Sophia McIntyre, senior vice president of Wellstar Medical Group, also said she got her shot to stop the spread, noting that COVID-19 has disproportionately affected minority communities.  

“The reason why I got the COVID-19 vaccine is to ensure that I’m doing my part to bend the curve,” Dr. McIntyre said. “We know that African Americans and Latino Americans are dying at a higher proportion.” 

Dr. Danny Branstetter, Wellstar’s medical director for infection prevention, has been at the forefront of Wellstar’s work to fight COVID-19 and keep our communities safe. Now, he wants to see life return to normal, because health isn’t just about your body. It’s also about your personal connections and overall well-being. 

“I’m tired of being separated from my friends and family. I’m tired of seeing small businesses fold,” Dr. Branstetter said. “I’m tired of seeing the increased burden this places on those without resources. I’m tired of the loneliness this puts on those who are isolated and the elderly. My question is, aren’t you tired, too?” 

All of us play a part in ending this pandemic. 

“We’re in this together, and we can end this together through vaccination,” Dr. Branstetter said. 

To find a vaccination site near you, visit the Georgia Department of Public Health website or local retail pharmacy.