Exhausted staff members from Butler Health System held a prayer vigil outside Butler Memorial Hospital on Tuesday night to express solidarity and positivity after a year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nurse and organizer Ally Moran described the event as conveying “no judgment, just unity.”

For a nurse to be able to say that shows great character. It’s no secret that our health care workers have been heroes during this pandemic — and long before that.

So, for Moran to say “no judgment” is pretty incredible, especially considering how stressed out health care workers have remained long past the point that they should have because of this pandemic.

It’s been said by national health care experts time and time again: If a much larger percentage of the population who can safely get vaccinated would do so — and if in the mean time people would look out for the well-being of others and wear masks when called upon to do so — this pandemic would already likely be over.

Remember that huge outbreak of polio and smallpox a few years ago? Of course you don’t. Those pandemics ended with widespread vaccination.

But to keep in the spirit of Moran and her husband, Doug, who led the vigil Tuesday at the hospital, we wanted to send our appreciation to them and their fellow health care workers, both for the vital and dangerous work they’ve performed every day during this pandemic and the vigil to bring the community together in a moment of solidarity.

It’s solidarity that can finally bring this pandemic to an end. That involves working together for a greater good. It means trusting the experts and not further taxing the health care workers who’ve had to watch patients die from COVID-19 nearly every day and put themselves on the front line of this virus.

“This is like nothing any of us ever thought we would be dealing with,” said nurse Jennifer Fencil. “We are with each other now more than we’re with our own families. We needed to show we are grateful for the community support.”

It’s an understatement to say we are grateful for them.

To show your gratitude, do everything within your power to help shut down this pandemic. Follow the safety protocols. Listen to the experts and make informed decisions. The safety of your community — and our heroic health care workers — is in your hands.

— NCD