Phelps Health Employees Share Reasons for Getting COVID-19 Vaccine

Dozens of employees at Phelps Health are winners of a COVID-19 vaccine incentive program that began in late July 2021.

Through the rewards program, employees who got the vaccine are entered into a drawing to win prizes. After the incentives were announced, the percentage of employees who received the vaccine increased by nearly 16%.

Trang Dang, PharmD, an Epic analyst at Phelps Health, is an employee vaccine lottery winner. She also decided to be vaccinated for her loved ones.

"I got the COVID-19 vaccine to protect my family. I have older parents and younger cousins,” she said. “I don't want to pass COVID-19 on to others.”

Before working at Phelps Health, Dang cared for COVID-19 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at another hospital. She has seen what the disease has done to patients.

Dang said she got the shot when she became eligible.

“Vaccination has always been important in healthcare,” Dang said. “Throughout the history of vaccines, they have eradicated diseases.”

Debbie Grommet, a dietary aide with Food Services at Phelps Health, agrees with Dang.

“They've been making vaccines for 100 years, and I believe that the science is good,” she said. “I believe that they [scientists and researchers] have done their due diligence.”

Grommet said one reason she chose to be vaccinated was her age.

“I was 65 years old [when I got the vaccine], and the virus isn’t kind to people in my age bracket,” she said.

If somebody is on the fence about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, Grommet said she tells people that getting COVID-19 is not worth the risk.

“The shot is much safer than the risk of getting the virus,” Grommet said, adding that she believes the vaccine is safe and effective.

Dang said if people are unsure about the COVID-19 vaccines, she recommends people do their own research from trustworthy sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“I decided for myself after I looked at the clinical trials and interpreted the data,” Dang said.

Both employees urged those who were not vaccinated yet to think about others -- neighbors, coworkers, family and friends.