On Thursday, Aug. 19, Dr. Jeff Absalon, Chief Physician Executive for St. Charles Hospital in Bend, spoke about the crisis facing health systems and hospitals due to the COVID-19 surge.

Soon after they lost a patient to COVID-19, Dr. Absalon arrived at the St. Charles Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Bend.

“Our nurses had tears in their eyes, said Dr. Absalon. “And yet they had to get right back to work to take care of the next patient that needed their services. And that’s what they did, and that’s what they do.”

You can watch the video below.

Vaccination remains the safest and most effective way for all people in Oregon to get back to doing the things they love. If you are 12 or older, visit OHA’s Find a COVID-19 Vaccine in Oregon webpage to schedule your vaccine appointment today.

This article first appeared in the Aug. 23, 2021 issue of Oregon Coronavirus Update.