Employees at Pinckneyville Community Hospital ceremoniously on Friday toss their face masks into the air as a way to promote area residents to get their COVID vaccinations.
Byron Hetzler
Like high school graduates eagerly anticipating the next stage of their lives, employees of Pinckneyville Community Hospital are excited about what comes next as more people get jabbed with the COVID-19 vaccines and cases continue to decline.
And, like joyous high schoolers who send their mortar boards skyward at commencement, hospital staffers participated Friday in a similar ceremony with their face masks in an effort to encourage more area residents to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Their ultimate goal: To reach a level of immunity, so the coverings will no longer be necessary.
Randall Dauby, hospital administrator and CEO, addressed those gathered Friday.
“At Pinckneyville Community Hospital, we take COVID vaccination very seriously,” he said.
As he concluded his remarks, several employees of the health care entity shared some of the reasons for their emphasis on vaccinations.
“For our patients,” shouted a nurse.
“For visitors,” another said, followed by four more staff members, all with reasons: “Fellow employees,” “parents,” “my children” and “friends,” they called out.
Others from the group of about 50 employees added words of encouragement for others to be vaccinated, “so that we can go mask free and see everyone’s smiling faces,” they said.
