To: All Freeport-McMoRan Employees
From: Dr. Richard Vinroot, Vice President and Medical Director
Date: December 20, 2021
Many hospitals around the country are overwhelmed and postponing all but emergency surgeries as COVID-19 cases among the primarily unvaccinated population continue to increase, including in communities where we operate.
These new cases have stretched health-care systems already struggling with staff shortages to the breaking point – meaning less care is now available for other patients, such as those with heart attacks and life-threatening injuries along with other serious illnesses. This is expected to get worse in the coming weeks.
Everyone has a responsibility to do what they can to protect themselves, their families and communities by doing the following:
- Get the vaccination or a booster shot.
- Follow the company’s mitigation efforts at work: wearing a mask, keeping a distance of 6 feet or more and staying home when sick.
- Review the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel guidelines before leaving home.
After vaccinations, our mitigation efforts at work are critical because we know these actions reduce the spread of any virus. Widespread illness with employees out of work will impact operations, but more importantly, could cause serious consequences for families and communities if people are hospitalized with COVID-19 and continue to overwhelm the health-care system.
Arizona, where the majority of our North America employees live and work, has been particularly hard hit due to the low vaccination rates in the state. In fact, the majority of people in the U.S. who are hospitalized or die from COVID-19 are unvaccinated – and 90 percent of those in Arizona ICUs are unvaccinated, a statistic mirroring what other U.S. hospitals are seeing.
This is so concerning that groups like the Greater Phoenix Leadership Council (of which we are a member) are asking companies to send out health advisories to their employees, in particular to warn about Arizona’s overwhelmed health-care facilities. Read their message.
While the Delta variant is responsible for the surge in current cases, early indications show Omicron is two times more contagious than the Delta variant and will be on our doorstep in the next few weeks. It has been detected in nearly every state in the U.S., with infections expected to peak in the middle of January, likely a consequence of increased holiday travel and larger gatherings.
As we get ready to celebrate the holidays, don’t let your guard down – wear your mask, stay 6 feet away from others and stay home when sick! While we were hoping for a more normal holiday season this year, it is critical everyone takes personal responsibility to help ensure a healthy and happy holiday for all.
Please know that I am always available to discuss any medical issue or answer any COVID-19 questions.
Happy holidays!
Learn more: Read the CDC’s information about Omicron, and learn more about COVID-19 and booster shots in an FAQ video, first posted on December 2.