The CEO of Riverside Medical Center in Franklinton wrote a letter asking Washington Parish residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Peter Sullivan said he decided to write the letter after the hospital diagnosed a 2-month-old, a 15-year-old and an 18-year-old on the same day. He said they are not prepared to deal with infants and adolescents, and that they can do it on an emergency basis, but not on an inpatient basis.
According to the latest numbers less than 35% of Washington Parish is considered fully vaccinated.
Sullivan said increasing vaccination rates in the parish is the best way to end the dire situation the hospital finds itself in. He said Riverside is a 25-bed hospital with five ICU beds and 20 inpatient beds. They have been struggling to find places to send patients. He said they sent one 19 YO patient to Arkansas for an open bed.
