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The race to vaccinate Americans against COVID-19 is accelerating as 32 states in the US have now detected variants of the coronavirus. The covid-19 variants were first found in the United Kingdom, Brazil, and South Africa. It is putting even more pressure on the vaccination push and on hospitals. The Los Angeles officials are worried about 2 confirmed cases in the city of the more contagious UK strain. They’re worried because LA was one of the hardest-hit communities in the entire country even before there was talk of variants. The average daily coronavirus-related death rate among Latinos soared more than 1,000% since November, in a section that’s nearly 90 percent Latino in the East LA community of Boyle Heights. There is now active duty military personnel working alongside civilian nurses trying to save lives at Adventist Health White Memorial Hospital.

The ICU manager at White Memorial, nurse Wesley Willard said, “The most difficult thing is knowing that we’re caring for a patient that may not make it, even given all the best efforts. The strengths that these nurses and these health care professionals have to do this, day in and day out, is amazing to me”. On his staff of more than 120 is 1st Lt. Lana Bagwell, R.N., US Air Force. Point to be noted that Bagwell is one of the roughly 20 medical personnel sent by the Department of Defense as reinforcements to hold the line against the invisible enemy. She’s been here on the front line for three weeks. Bagwell asked Willard, “How much time would you normally give someone to orient”? He replied and said, “With a new employee with experience? We’d probably do four weeks with everything”.

He asked Bagwell and said, “And you got a shift-and-a-half because time was of the essence”? Willard replied, “Yes, time was of the essence. They have multiple families living in one home. They’re not able to socially distance. Some of the stories that I’ve read, the backgrounds of the patients, they’re the sole breadwinners and they still have to go to work. And it’s so unfortunate”. Willard himself is a West Point graduate and a former Army captain, who served active duty for five years, including one tour in Iraq. It is noteworthy that the front line Adventist Health is launching a community vaccination effort next week because many people here do not have internet access and don’t know where to sign up for shots.