Mission Chief now says at least 2 COVID-19 victims were vaccinated, apologizes for error
by Kristy Kepley-Steward
FILE - Mission Hospital, Asheville, North Carolina. (Photo credit: WLOS Staff)
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) —
Mission Health’s Chief Medical Officer says a statement he made Tuesday during the Buncombe County Commissioners COVID-19 briefing was incorrect.
During the briefing, Dr. William Hathaway said all patients at Mission Hospital who had died from COVID-19 were unvaccinated.
Since that statement, News 13 has received several calls and messages to our newsroom saying a loved one or a family member had died from COVID-19 at Mission hospital after being vaccinated.
On Thursday, Dr. Hathaway released an announcement saying he made the statement based on the knowledge had had at the time. He now confirms at least two people who have died of COVID-19 at Mission were vaccinated.
ADVERTISEMENT
"During a regular COVID update to the Buncombe County Commission, I made a statement based on the knowledge I had at the time that no vaccinated people had died at Mission Hospital from COVID-19. I have since learned there were 2 deaths and apologize for that error. My intention was to reinforce that the vaccine is both safe and effective in protecting individuals from serious illness or hospitalization from COVID-19. While the number may not be zero, it is emphatically true that the large majority of hospitalizations and the vast majority of deaths are occurring in unvaccinated people, and I strongly encourage anyone who was not been vaccinated to do so." William Hathaway, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Mission Health/HCA Healthcare North Carolina Division
Load more...