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The leaders of three Southeast Texas hospitals took the extraordinary step Tuesday morning to release a joint statement encouraging the community to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Those endorsing the group plea are Josh Snow, president of theMedical Center of Southeast Texas; Justin Doss, CEO of Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas; and Paul Trevino, president and CEO of CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Health System.

The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Southeast Texas has increased significantly in the past five days for all their hospitals.

“We are deeply concerned,” they said. “Our teams are rising to this challenge with incredible compassion and professionalism. Everything is being done to ensure the best possible coordination and care for our patients; however, we need your help.

“We are asking everyone to limit their risk of exposure and help protect those around them. We need our community to demonstrate its resolve by taking action to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and this current surge in our hospitals. Please do not gather in large groups.

“Remember, vaccination remains the best means of protection against this virus. We urge anyone not vaccinated to schedule an appointment for a vaccination immediately. The science and data are abundantly clear: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and highly effective at preventing illness, hospitalization and death. Some stark data to consider for those who are fully vaccinated.”

The hospital leaders said:

• You are 82% less likely to contract the lethal delta variant
• You are 92% less likely to be hospitalized
• You are 99% less likely to die

“It is proven, that when people wear a face mask in public, get vaccinated, maintain at least six feet from others, and practice frequent hand hygiene, it reduces the spread of the virus. We stand in a unified message to implore the people of Jefferson and the surrounding counties to do these four simple things to help us save lives,” the joint statement concluded.