Author: Jamie Welton

The Updated COVID Vaccines Are Here: Things You Should Know

1. CDC recommends the updated COVID vaccines for everyone ages 6 months and older to stay up to date. They are highly recommended for Welia Health employees.
2. According to the FDA, the updated vaccine addresses currently circulating variants to provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID-19.
3. The updated vaccines are not expected to prevent all cases of COVID, including those causing mild illness; rather, their aim is to reduce severe illness, hospitalization, and death from infection.
4. Vaccine is highly recommended for anyone at risk of severe disease and death including patients over the age of 50 as well as anyone with immunocompromising conditions and chronic conditions such as heart disease or diabetes.
5. According to the CDC any serious reactions after COVID-19 vaccination are rare.
6. The CDC considers it safe to get the COVID shot and annual flu vaccine simultaneously.

More information on Updated COVID Vaccines can be found here: Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC

To ensure sufficient vaccine supply for all of our employees, please complete the quick survey with your interest in receiving the updated COVID vaccine: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R35NQZ2

Last month Dr. Allen shared with staff his experience in New Zealand. Thank you to everyone who attended in person and virtually.

Please click here to watch the presentation.

Thank you Dr. Allen for sharing this with us.

The Senior Team is excited to announce 8 new providers joining the Welia Health team! Please join them in welcoming:

• Dr. David Bidle, Family Medicine – January 2024
• Mary Brown, NP, Emergency Department – 2024
• Lindsey Fielder, CNP, Family Medicine – January 2024
• Wynonah Filla, PA, Emergency Department – 2024
• Dr. Marc Myer, Family Medicine – January 2024
• Dr. Huy (Henry) Nguyen, General Surgery – January 2024
• Dr. Austin Peterson, Optometry – September 2023
• Anna Warnes, NP, Emergency Department – January 2024

• Next week, on Wednesday & Thursday, our leadership team will be attending a leadership training session led by our coaches for The Welia Way.  We are looking forward to learning how to be the best leaders to make Welia the best place to work and to give and receive healthcare!
• New Coffee/Cappuccino Vendor Machine:  In the next few weeks, there will be a self-serve vending machine installed in the Mora Cafeteria area. 
• Vaccination Clinics:  Get your influenza vaccine, update your tetanus, and more!  Dates are listed on the intranet.
• COVID Boosters:  While not quite available here yet, when they are, we encourage you to receive any recommended boosters.
• Our new RPAP Student, Danielle Frazee, started on Monday.
• Newly hired providers (Bios will be posted soon!):
  • Anna Warnes, DNP-Full-time Emergency Department, Pine City Urgency Services, and Mora Same Day
  • David Bidle, MD-Full-time Family Medicine physician in Pine City and Hinckley
  • Lindsey Fielder, NP-Full-time at Mora, Hinckley, and Pine City clinics
  • Marc Meyer, MD-Full-time Family Medicine physician in Mora, Hinckley and Pine City

Thank you to all those who were able to attend the August employee forum. Please reach out to The Voice (EmployeeExperience@welia.org) team with your suggestions and ideas for future forums.

Congratulations to Roxanne Fix and Michele Sullivan for winning a Welia backpack. Please contact Jamie Welton to pick up your gift.