Rural Issue

Rural hospitals to receive help to combat Omincron

The U.S. Surgeon General says steps taken this week by President Biden to combat the fast-spreading, highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 will help rural as well as all Americans.

Dr. Viviek Murthy tells Brownfield Ag News six emergency response teams are deploying now to six states including Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. More masks, gloves, gowns and ventilators are being distributed to hospitals across the country and he says one-thousand military doctors and other health professionals are being deployed to help with hospital staff shortages, “We hope to get our rural hospitals and communities through this pandemic. It’s going to be a tough few weeks ahead.”

Murthy says there is early evidence that Omicron produces milder symptoms than the Delta variant but that isn’t certain. He says they highly recommend getting vaccinated and if vaccinated to get a booster. He says a previous COVID-19 infection won’t be protective.

“So, it’s made it all the more important that whether you were infected or not with COVID in the past that you get vaccinated and if you’re vaccinated you get boosted. It’s your best way to protect yourself right now against Omicron.”

The Surgeon General says 500-Million free home test kits for COVID-19 will be distributed this winter and more free mass testing sites will be made available.

Interview with U.S. Surgeon General Murthy

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