Dr. Lisa Perry-Gilkes Appeals to Physicians to ‘Help Take This Pandemic Down’

I would like to appeal to you to participate in the Medical Association of Georgia’s new ‘Let’s help take this pandemic down’ campaign, which is designed to mobilize and leverage our profession to increase the COVID-19 vaccination rate in the state – which is one of the lowest in the U.S.

This includes…

1. Having your practice staff ask your patients if they have been vaccinated for COVID-19 during the check-in process.

2. Having your practice staff display the answer to this question on the front page of the patient’s chart before you see them.  

3. Having you congratulate patients who have been vaccinated or discuss the need for them to do so in a non-judgmental way if they have not.

Key points that you can make with your patients…

• Getting vaccinated will reduce their chances of dying or ending up in the hospital from COVID-19 to “zero” – as not a single patient who has been fully vaccinated in the U.S. has died from COVID-19
• Getting vaccinated is an important way to protect their co-workers, friends and loved ones 
• Vaccinated patients appear far less susceptible to COVID infections, even with the numerous mutations that are occurring

If you don’t administer the vaccine in your office, I also encourage you to let your patients know how they can get vaccinated in your community. Finally, I encourage you to review the resources that are included at the bottom of this alert for additional information. 

My sincere thanks for your time and consideration – and ‘Let’s help take this pandemic down’ together.