Mason Minute with Dr. Patricia Wilkerson-Uddyback sponsored by DMC
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00:00Hi, it's Mason. Happy Holidays, but the best Christmas gift you're going to receive is that vaccination.
00:07But how and who's helping? We go to the DMC, to Dr. Patricia Wilkerson-Uddieback, who will tell you when, why, and where.
00:19It's the Mason Minute with Dr. Patricia Wilkerson-Uddieback, MD, MBA, F-A-C-E-P, Corporate Vice President of Academic and Community Affairs, the Detroit Medical Center.
00:37Dr. Uddieback, good to talk to you again.
00:41Good boy. How are you?
00:43I'm good. I'm good. It's good to speak with you again.
00:46Yes, it is. I didn't know if you'd remember me.
00:49Oh, yes, of course I'm going to remember.
00:52There's a new strain coming out of the U.K. that they've been talking about in the last 48 hours or so.
00:59More to be concerned about, huh?
01:02Absolutely. I'm so glad you brought that up.
01:05Because, Mason, you know, in our community, a lot of us, a lot of black folks, are very, very afraid of taking the vaccine.
01:14And that is really going to be critical for how we move forward and get past this horrible virus.
01:22And as you stated, viruses mutate.
01:26They change.
01:27We knew before the U.K. strain that we had at least one other strain.
01:33So we knew there were two.
01:35But this one coming out of the U.K. is a little bit more worrisome.
01:38So we definitely have to immunize ourselves.
01:42And a lot of times when you get the vaccine for one of the virus strains, it'll give you a little bit of protection with the other.
01:50You'll have antibodies that can hopefully fight it so that if you do get sick, it won't be as bad.
01:55And that goes the same with the flu shot as well, correct?
02:00Correct.
02:01How does the DMC play a role in getting this to our community?
02:08Well, the Detroit Medical Center resides in the heart of Metro Detroit.
02:13We have been taking care of this community for a very, very long time.
02:18And the main way we support this community is by providing medical care, number one.
02:25The first thing I really want to tell your audience is that they cannot delay care.
02:31You know, Mason, we're seeing a lot of people hesitant to come into the hospital, hesitant to come into their doctor visits, and they're waiting.
02:40And by waiting, they're coming in sicker.
02:43So if we put COVID aside, the patients that are coming are much, much sicker.
02:48So one thing, don't wait.
02:50Don't delay care.
02:51And the DMC is here to support folks.
02:54Our institutions are clean.
02:57We have put forth a number of protocols to make sure that if you come into one of our facilities, you're not going to contract the virus.
03:05All of our screening going on at every door.
03:08Our staff are masked.
03:10They're disinfecting according to protocols.
03:13So that's one of the things we're doing.
03:16The second thing is down the road, we're not quite there yet, but we will have the vaccine ready for our community down the road.
03:24What we're focusing on right now with the initial doses that we've received is to make sure that our staff is immunized because we want to make sure they're here to protect our patients and take care of our patients.
03:35So we have to prioritize them first, as is other systems.
03:38And how is that going?
03:41What percentage of the staff has already taken the vaccination?
03:46So currently, you know what?
03:48I should have had that number.
03:49I can tell you that as a Friday, about 10% of our residents have taken it.
03:55And I think we're trending somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 to 40%.
03:58The rate limiting factor right now is just setting up the time to get people in so that we're still observing social distancing.
04:07Sure.
04:07You know, you can't just have a crowd waiting.
04:09You got to face things.
04:12Dr. Udi, back after the staff has been vaccinated, who's in line next?
04:17So our goal, all of our staff, all of our physicians, all of our residents, and then next on the list would be our patients and making sure that we're getting it distributed to our clinics.
04:30But that probably won't come until a few months after the first of the year.
04:35It just really depends on the number of doses that we get.
04:38So the DMC will be up and running with the vaccination before, let's say, end of spring?
04:46Oh, yeah.
04:46Well, you're an administrator.
04:49How far down the list does it go before you're able to get the vaccination?
04:55Well, I am so glad you asked that.
04:57So I am an administrator.
04:59But, Nathan, I'm a practicing board-certified emergency medicine physician.
05:04Wow.
05:05I still work in the emergency department at Harper Hospital.
05:09And so I was one of the first folks to get the vaccine because I still see patients.
05:15And I think it's important for people to understand that, you know, whatever fears people have when the opportunity presents itself, I just really want to encourage all of your listeners to get the vaccine.
05:29The virus has so many uncertain long-term consequences.
05:36The virus is not live.
05:37You can't get the infection from taking it.
05:39But I have had no side effects, literally.
05:43I mean, I had a little bit of achiness at the site, and that was it.
05:46So you have to take two doses, 21 days apart.
05:50We have the Pfizer vaccine at the DMC.
05:53But I just want them to know that your chances with any consequences with the vaccine are much less than getting that virus.
06:03Well, coming from you, then I feel a lot safer.
06:07I'm ready to roll up my sleeve and get mine today.
06:10Yes.
06:12We can't afford not to be on the back end of this.
06:14And our community, as you know, has suffered so much more than other communities, the African-American community.
06:21We have to be on the front of this.
06:23Well, thank you for giving the information.
06:26It is information that our community needs.
06:30The DMC, again, is up front.
06:32And, Dr. Aribak, you and I have talked many times.
06:35And you're always still doing good in the hood.
06:39So thank you so very much.
06:42And thank you for having me, Mason.
06:44I appreciate you.