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Area hospital leaders offer encouragement and say social distancing is working

Tina Freese Decker headshot
Spectrum Health

Two West Michigan hospital leaders say social distancing is working to flatten the curve of COVID-19 cases. Their recently released video recordings also ask for continued vigilance.

“As we continue to run our COVID-19 models, we are now seeing the impact of our community staying home. You have substantially lowered the curve bay as much as 65%.”

Tina Freese Decker, President and CEO of Spectrum Health, says its working and saving lives.

“Our hope is continued social distancing may decrease the peak of the surge. This is creating precious time to help us be as prepared as possible to care for our community and protect our team during the surge. We know we will need up to 8x our normal quantities of Personal Protective Equipment. So, we are using this time and every possible effort to secure those resources.”

“By limiting the spread of coronavirus, you are buying precious time. Not only for our healthcare systems and your neighbors, but for scientists around the world racing to find treatments and vaccines.”

Dr. Peter Hahn headshot
Credit Metro Health
Dr. Peter Hahn, President and CEO, Metro Health-University of Michigan Health

Dr. Peter Hahn is President and CEO of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health. 

"You’re buying time for inventors and engineers and manufacturers ramping up production of critical equipment.” “Please, stay home unless it is essential to leave. Practice a social distance of at least six feet. Wash your hands as much as you can.”

Hospital leaders are thankful for the community’s continued vigilance.

I’m Patrick Center

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.