San Antonio hospitals plead for help from the public to reduce the alarming

spike in COVID-19 patients

The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in local hospitals is growing at an alarming rate and on track to surpass
the July surge in a matter of days. Without action to reduce the spread of the virus in this community, we will reach
capacity, and our ability to save lives and care for the sick and injured will be in serious jeopardy.

We are writing this letter today to urge everyone to take this threat seriously and do their part to get this virus back under
control.

Our dedicated health care teams are rising to this challenge with incredible compassion and professionalism. They are
true heroes in every sense of that word, and we are sure you join us in thanking them for the many sacrifices they have
made over the past 10 months. The tokens of appreciation they’ve received from generous people in this community are
very nice, but the best way to demonstrate gratitude today is a collective commitment to do the things we all know can
help prevent an even greater crisis.

These people have dedicated their lives to caring for your family members as they would their own. Without your help,
they will face an extremely challenging surge of patients. No one wants that to happen.

What can you do? Cover your nose and mouth with a mask or face-covering in public. Stay at home when you can. Only
gather with people who live in your immediate household. When you are around others, stay at least six feet apart and keep
your face covered. And be sure to wash your hands often. We know some of these things are easy to do. Others are hard,
especially after such a long time.

We are a social community, and we know it’s difficult to stay apart, but we must do it until the COVID-19 vaccine is widely
distributed. That day will come but until it does, we must remain vigilant to avoid a crisis in our hospitals and further tragic
losses of friends and loved ones. We’ve lost too many people already so let’s do our part and slow the spread.

We can do it, San Antonio.

Thank you for your support. We stand together to serve you and your family today, and always,

Matthew Stone Dean Alexander Allen Harrison Jonathan Turton

President/CEO President/CEO President/CEO President/CEO
Baptist Health System CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Methodist Healthcare Southwest General Hospital

Eric Epley �
George B. Hernández, Jr. William L. Henrich, M.D. Christopher R. Sandles, MBA FACHE
Executive Director/CEO President/CEO President/CEO Medical Center Director/CEO
STRAC University Health System UT Health San Antonio South Texas Veterans Health Care
System