Watertown Healthcare Leaders Provide COVID-19 Update and Encourage Vaccinations

Watertown, WI - Watertown Regional Medical Center, Watertown Fire and EMS, Marquardt Village, Watertown Healthcare Center, and Watertown Public Health would like to provide an update on the COVID-19 situation in the community.

 

Since March 2020, when the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in the City of Watertown, we have seen over 3,500 cases and over 50 deaths recorded due to the disease. More recently, we are experiencing another prolonged wave of cases and hospitalizations, resulting in the current inpatient census at Watertown Regional Medical Center being comprised of a significant amount of COVID-19 positive patients and putting a strain on all medical providers, including hospital and pre- and post-hospital care.

 

“COVID-19 continues to put our community and our healthcare facilities in a difficult position,” said Richard Keddington, CEO, Watertown Regional Medical Center. “The recent increase in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths make it difficult for the hospital, paramedics, nursing homes, and clinics to care for individuals needing assistance for other health related issues.”

 

According to the data, 95% of cases and 96% of hospitalizations in our community are occurring among not fully vaccinated individuals. Due to the low vaccination rate in the city, we don’t anticipate this upward trajectory changing anytime soon.

 

As of Tuesday, December 14, only 47.3% of Watertown citizens have been fully vaccinated, approximately 10% lower than the state average of 57.4% and lower than nearby communities, including Waterloo (65.5%), Jefferson (56.9%), Lake Mills (68.8%), Fort Atkinson (61.2%), Beaver Dam (55.5%), and Oconomowoc (67.3%).

 

As healthcare leaders in the community, we continue to encourage those who have not received their COVID-19 vaccine to consider doing so and remind those who have completed their vaccine series to schedule their booster as soon as they are eligible.

 

“I have lost several friends and patients just this month to COVID-19,” said Dr. Michael Grajewski, Primary Care Provider and Medical Director for the City of Watertown Public Health. “It’s not too late to help yourself and the people you care about.”

 

COVID-19 vaccines are proven to be a safe and effective solution to preventing the spread of COVID-19 and keep most people who get COVID-19 from experiencing severe symptoms. If you have questions about the vaccine, we encourage you to talk to your primary care provider or learn about them from fact-based sources, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC.

 

Those looking to receive their COVID-19 vaccine in Watertown have several ways to do so. To find vaccine clinics hosted by the City of Watertown Public Health Department, visit their website at www.ci.watertown.wi.us/departments/health_department and click on the COVID-19 information button.

 

Additionally, the Primary Care Providers at Watertown Regional Medical Center, Meade Medical Clinic, and Watertown Family Practice are providing vaccines to patients who schedule an appointment. Call your primary care provider to schedule yours today. If none of these options work for you, simply visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccine clinic or location that works for you.

 

We want to thank everyone in the community for their continued support through the last 20-plus months of the COVID-19 pandemic. We know it hasn’t been easy for anyone, but we encourage everyone to continue showing support and kindness to healthcare workers during this time. It takes a group effort to provide the healthcare support the community needs and we continue to look for ways to work together to keep our community safe and healthy.

 

This statement is endorsed by the following individuals: Carol Quest, Director/Health Officer of Public Health, City of Watertown; Dr. Michael Grajewski, Vaccine Program Medical Director, City of Watertown Public Health; Dr. Donene Rowe, Medical Director, City of Watertown Public Health; Richard Keddington, CEO, Watertown Regional Medical Center; Dr. Vikram Goyal, Chief of Staff, Watertown Regional Medical Center; Kraig Biefeld, Fire Chief, Watertown Fire Department; Anthony Rauterberg, Deputy Fire Chief, Watertown Fire Department; Matt Mauthe, CEO, Marquardt Village; Dr. Michael Sullivan, Medical Director, Marquardt Village; Sarah Rose, CEO, Watertown Health Care Center; Dr. Harry Hostetler, Medical Director, Watertown Health Care Center.