Business leaders serving Clark County encourage those not yet vaccinated to take action now to protect themselves from severe illness due to COVID-19 and the fast-emerging delta variant.
An outreach campaign themed ‘Keep Us Open: Set A Date To Vaccinate’ will be popping up around Clark County in an effort to encourage vaccinations as the contagious delta variant of COVID-19 challenges our community. The variant is responsible for the vast majority of illness, hospitalization and death this fall, which is straining capacity across the region’s medical system and continuing to disrupt business activity.
“The reports coming from our healthcare system make it clear that those not yet vaccinated are especially vulnerable to severe illness,” said Tyson Fuehrer, executive vice president of Biggs Insurance Services. “The data shows being vaccinated reduces someone’s chances of the worst results of the illness and that should be something we all consider.”
About two-thirds of eligible Clark County citizens are fully vaccinated just nine months after a vaccine was made available. Despite this achievement, emergence of the delta variant has placed greater urgency for those yet to be vaccinated.
The ‘Keep Us Open’ campaign includes a website, www.KeepUsOpen.us which identifies vaccine locations, answers common questions and asks people to share their vaccine stories. The campaign also will connect organizations with mobile vaccination options. Signage, social media messages and office posters in multiple languages will be made available to employers, churches and gathering places.
“Vaccines are the best way to protect active people from severe illness, and the best way to ensure we keep our community and economy open,” said Ron Arp, President of the nonprofit business leaders group Identity Clark County.
Arp said many regional businesses are still experiencing significant COVID-related challenges five months after many restrictions were lifted and 18 months after the initial shutdown. Disruptions include staff absences due to illness, isolation and quarantine periods, placing greater pressure on an already strained workforce. COVID-19 has crimped the global and local supply chain, with far-reaching impact across healthcare services, durable goods, construction supplies and many products that rely upon electronic components such as automobiles and appliances.
The ‘Keep Us Open’ campaign is coordinated by the business leaders group Identity Clark County in partnership the Greater Vancouver Chamber and SW Washington Hospitality Roundtable. Project support is provided by the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, PeaceHealth, ilani Resort and Casino, Vancouver Clinic, Providence Health & Services, Legacy Health and Alliant Employee Benefits. The campaign follows a successful ‘Safe By Summer’ program that attracted about 100 businesses and nonprofits to pursue a goal of 80 percent vaccination rates among their employees by mid-August. Nearly all those participating are thought to have achieved that goal.
More information is available at www.KeepUsOpen.us