Guidlines now recommend some immunocompromised speak with docs about booster COVID vax
Due to a sharp increase in Emergency Room visits as a result of the spike in COVID-19, please expect longer wait times than normal. Rest assured we are doing everything we can to provide high quality care in a timely manner. Thank you in advance for allowing us to provide for your healthcare needs, while extending grace to our staff.
COVID Vaccine Clinics:
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs will host a COVID Vaccine Clinic every Friday morning from 9am to 11am in the main lobby of the hospital until further notice. The available vaccines include Moderna (2-doses, ages 18 and older), Pfizer (2-doses, ages 12 and older) and Johnson & Johnson (1-dose, ages 18 and older), Appointments not required, but parent/guardian must accompany anyone 17 and younger.
COVID Vaccine Updates:
News from the Texas Department of State Health Services
“On Aug. 12, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revised both Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Emergency Use Authorization fact sheets to include guidance on administering an additional dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.
Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that people whose immune system are moderately to severely compromised receive an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days after an initial two-dose mRNA series (Pfizer or Moderna).
ACIP’s recommendation includes people with a range of conditions, such as recipients of organ or stem cell transplants, people with advance or untreated HIV infection, active recipients of treatment for cancer, people who are taking some medications that weaken the immune system, and others. A full list of conditions can be found on CDC’s website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/immuno.html.
The additional dose should be the same vaccine product as the initial two-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna). If the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine product given for the first two doses is not available, the other mRNA COVID-19 vaccine product may be administered. A person should not receive more than three mRNA COVID-19 vaccine doses.
It’s important to note that an additional dose is only recommended for individuals who are moderately or severely immunocompromised —CDC does not recommend additional doses or booster shots for any other population at this time.
Currently, there are insufficient data to support the use of an additional mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose after a single-dose Janssen COVID-19 vaccination series in immunocompromised people. FDA and CDC are actively working to provide guidance on this issue.
Immunocompromised individuals may discuss with their health care provider whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them. If their health care provider is not at a site administering vaccines, these individuals can self-attest and receive the additional dose wherever vaccines are offered. For more information, please visit : https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/covid-19-vaccines-us.html.”
Carter Bloodcare Blood Drive
The Carter Bloodcare Bus will be parked in the front parking lot of our hospital in Sulphur Springs on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Our local blood supply is at an all-time low creating a serious supply issue.
To sign up to give blood, or for questions, please call Yeon Mi Kim at 903-438-4380 or call/text Carter Bloodcare at 800-366-2834. All donors will receive a free t-shirt.
Sports Medicine
Free Saturday Athletic Injury Clinic for student athletes of all ages is here! Saturday sports clinic will be held every Saturday from 9am to 11am, on August 21 through November 13. Athletes will get an exam and free x-ray to determine a plan of care to treat their injury. The location will be the CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic Orthopedic Office at 103B Medical Circle in Sulphur Springs.
For more information about our Sports Medicine program, or Orthopedic services, please call our office at 903-885-6688.
Please help preserve our masks for our healthcare providers, and bring your own mask.
With COVID cases rapidly increasing in our community, the hospital requires all visitor to wear a mask while in the facility. There is no entry into the hospital without a mask. Visitors may wear a cloth or medical mask. Thank you for your continued support of the safety of our patients and associates.
Hospital Visitation
Please note the following guidelines:
· Visitors must acquire masks themselves prior to entering our facility; cloth masks are acceptable. Masks must cover both the nose and the mouth. Visitors must remain masked during their time in the hospital.
· Emergency Department entrance open 24/7
· Main Entrance open 5am to 5pm, Monday – Friday
o Gift Shop open
· Visiting hours are 7am to 9pm
o Types of Visitors:
§ COVID receiving aerosol treatments: via tele-visitation only;
§ COVID not receiving aerosol treatments: 1 Essential support person at a time – Essential support person will be given a visible wrist band
· COVID unit visitor must remain the same throughout stay
§ ICU/ER: 1 Essential support person only
§ All other patients may have 1 Essential support person and 1 visitor (up to 2 persons in room at a time)
Hours of Operation- CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic Urgent Care – Sulphur Springs
The CHRISTUS Urgent Care Hours of Operation is as follows:
· In-Person Care Hours: Monday, 9-5; Tuesday, Closed; Wednesday-Saturday, 9-5; Sunday, Closed
· Virtual Visit Hours: Monday-Friday, 8-5
To schedule a virtual visit, please visit urgentcare.christushealth.org, then select your location and click “Virtual Visit”
The Urgent Care is located at 1339 S. Broadway, and the phone number to call is 903-951-1001.
Hospital Bed Availability
While some hospitals are on divert due to a “critical COVID surge,” CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital continues to serve patients, and has available hospital beds, both for COVID and non-COVID diagnoses.
Bed count – 402 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler
Bed count – 8 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – South Tyler
Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
Bed Count – 96 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs
Bed count – 25 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro
Bed count – 94 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital
Bed count – 96 – CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart – Tyler
Bed count – 51 – Tyler Continue CARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital
By Holly Ragan
