HJNO Sep/Oct 2021

Tanya Busenlener, MD Co-President MASELA Juan Gershanik, MD Co-President MASELA COLUMN MEDICAL SOCIETY Open Letter to Our Fellow Healthcare Professionals: The Medical Association of Southeast Louisiana, together with Jefferson and Orleans Parish Medical Societies, represent practicing physicians throughout the region. Together with you, we have cared for the people of Southeast Louisiana for decades. They entrust their health to us — their most valuable asset. We are grateful for the confidence they place in all of us. During the last 18 months, we have experienced much loss in our community. We have mourned the death of many patients, and more survivors are now experiencing long-term complications from COVID. We have held the hands of the dying when they could not be surrounded by their families. We have wiped the tears of those patients who were afraid, and, together, we have rejoiced when a formerly intubated patient got to leave the hospital — alive. We have seen our own medical colleagues — physicians and nurses alike — succumb to the virus. What a tragedy to lose such passionate, caring professionals. We have come so far and worked as a team to make progress in attacking the COVID virus with em- pathy and medical care second to none. But now, with the Delta variant exploding, Louisiana is losing ground. We are seeing significant increases in cases and hospitalizations every day, especially in the unvaccinated. Death and significant illness from COVID can be minimized with the availability of the COVID vaccine. We need every healthcare professional to be as physically and psychologically healthy as possible as we continue to wage war against this deadly virus. We can prevent our own deaths and serious illness if we ALL get vaccinated. As physicians, we are asking you, pleading with you, if you have not already been vaccinated, to get the COVID vaccine NOW. As healthcare professionals, we understand and respect the science. Our community, patients and fam- ily members look to us to lead the way. They trust us to make the right decisions. Please join more than 95% of all physicians in getting the vaccine to protect yourself and all those around you. As we continue to serve on the front lines of the pandemic, we want to acknowledge your significant devotion and commitment to your profession and your patients. We thank you and respect you for the many roles you play in caring for patients, especially during the pandemic. We all want life in the Southeast Louisiana area to return to the pre-pandemic days of family get-to- gethers, festivals and parades. We can do this together if we lead the way, get the vaccine and encourage others we love to do the same. Tanya Busenlener, MD Co-President, MASELA Juan Gershanik, MD Co-President, MASELA Physicians, to join MASELA, use the link masela.org/join or hover over this QR code. 48 SEP / OCT 2021 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS