ST. LOUIS — Michael Burns has been on two front lines since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Assistant Professor of Anesthesia at Webster University is still spreading important messages to his students.
"It's basically you know social distance. Wear your mask. Get vaccinated," Burns said.
Burns is also the Director of Anesthesia and a nurse anesthetist at Phelps Health in Rolla.
He said for the past few months he has documented a disturbing trend: an increasing number of younger, unvaccinated patients.
"Roughly, 88% of the patients that are hospitalized with covid at our facility are unvaccinated," said Burns.
He adds those unvaccinated people are either being admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit with COVID-19 or sadly, dying from the virus.
"A majority are in their 50s and 60s, but we're seeing more and more of the younger age groups coming including people who are as young as 30 years old. We see them tell their family members goodbye. It's pretty sad. We're definitely watching more heartbreaking instances that would be preventable with a vaccine," said Burns.
Burns knows the sudden loss first hand.
In March, his 57-year-old brother also died from COVID.
"He was unvaccinated and certainly all of this together has kind of hit home pretty hard," he said.
Burns' COVID-related experiences have had a huge impact on him, so much so that he penned a pandemic-related poem.
"It's great to increase awareness to our patients that are unvaccinated. I want them to know that it doesn't just affect them. It affects other people," said the concerned professor.
He admits the title, "See You Soon Unvaccinated Ones," is poignant and powerful.
However, the professor doesn't want to scare people.
Instead, he wants them to hear his plea before it's too late.
"My message is simple. I'd like you to get your vaccine and help protect our communities and yourselves," said Professor Burns.
Burns also recited a couple of lines from his poem during an interview with 5 On Your Side's Robert Townsend
"I may be the last person to see you alive.
I will be there to listen to you tell your parents and your children goodbye.
As I drift you off to sleep for preparation for a breathing machine,
I will pray for you and I."