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Día de los Muertos 2021: A time to honor and safely celebrate

Published on November 01, 2021

Last updated 03:55 PM November 01, 2021

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a festive, multi-day cultural celebration among Mexican and Latinx communities where family and friends come together to pay respects to friends and family members who have died. The celebrations can sometimes take a serious or a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed, marked by gatherings, music, colorful costumes, and food.

This year, Día de los Muertos celebrations are expected to take place during the global pandemic once again, which means the COVID-19 safety measures observed over the past 20 months should still be followed to protect your loved ones. This is particularly important since 26.2% of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have been among Hispanics and Latinos, representing 18.45% of the total deaths from the virus.

To keep everyone protected during this special celebration, Wellstar has compiled some tips for a fun and safe Día de los Muertos celebration.

1 – Vaccination can make celebrations safer: Now that we have the protection of COVID-19 vaccines available, every celebration and gathering can be safer. The more people in your group who have been fully vaccinated, the better for everyone, especially if other safety measures are followed. If you are eligible, be sure and get a booster as soon as you can, too.

2 – Make masks the star of Catrina costumes: Masks are not only fun, they’re also proven to minimize the spread of the virus for everyone age two and older. Get creative by incorporating masks in Catrina costumes and make-up by using fabric paint, glued-on sequins, or stickers to decorate them. In a pinch, use a printed Catrina mask and do your make-up to match or complement the mask. Don’t forget to share photos on social media with the hashtag #celebraciónsegura.

3 – Celebrate outside with appropriate social distancing: Outside is the best place to celebrate. Weather and health permitting, being outside to celebrate Día de los Muertos can promote airflow and help minimize close contact with others. For parades and visits to gravesites, wear a mask and stay at least two meters apart from people who do not live with you. “Air” hugs and waves are much safer than physical hugging and kissing during the pandemic.

4 – Avoid shared food and utensils: Because parties can be a big part of Día de los Muertos, not sharing food and utensils is one of the best ways to keep the spread of COVID-19 in check. If you do get together with a few close friends and family members, take measures to make it a safe celebration by bringing your own meal and utensils to limit sharing or use disposable items. As convenient as it may be, a buffet-style meal is not a good idea during a pandemic. Space your tables and chairs out, possibly outside or in a large area, to limit the spread of the disease, and wear a mask when you are not eating, especially those who are unvaccinated.

5 – Wash hands and sanitize: During the celebration, keep disinfectant wipes nearby to use on surfaces such as tables, chairs, and doorknobs. Everyone should frequently wash and sanitize their hands and remind children and other family members about all safety measures to help keep everyone COVID-free.

6 – Stay at home: Everyone loves a party, but it’s best to avoid any gathering, particularly if you have underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart or lung issues, obesity, cancer, or other conditions that compromise your immune system. With the rise in pediatric COVID-19 cases, since many children are still not vaccinated, they may also be at greater risk of infection. Anyone can be a carrier or become infected and seriously ill, but these groups are at the greatest risk of contracting and succumbing to COVID. If anyone in your group is feeling ill or has symptoms, it's best to play it safe and stay home to celebrate.

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate Día de los Muertos and the autumn season with fun activities during the pandemic, be sure and refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for specific guidance on how to stay safe and well.

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Wellstar Expands Air Ambulance Program with Second Helicopter

Wellstar Health System is expanding its Augusta-based AirCare air ambulance service to include a second helicopter that primarily serves Metro Atlanta and the western half of Georgia. The new aircraft, AirCare 2, is based at the Griffin-Spalding County Airport near Wellstar Spalding Medical Center. In addition to serving people from Macon to LaGrange to Marietta to Roswell, like AirCare 1, AirCare 2 supports rural Georgia hospitals whose patients need sophisticated intensive care level rapid transit.

Equipped for adult, pediatric and neonatal life-saving care, the air-ambulance expands Wellstar’s ability to provide rapid emergency transport services throughout the southeast. Wellstar already has the largest integrated trauma network in Georgia with two Level I Trauma Centers (Wellstar Kennestone Regional and Wellstar MCG Health Medical Centers), one Level II (Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center), one Level III (Wellstar Cobb Medical Center), three Level IV (Wellstar West Georgia, Wellstar Paulding and Wellstar Spalding Medical Centers) and a Pediatric Level II Trauma Center (Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia).

"Wellstar is bridging the gap between emergency medical situations and world-class care when every second counts," said Dr. Phillip Coule, vice president of medical affairs at Wellstar MCG Health. "Expanding Wellstar AirCare to connect east, central and west Georgia will offer a lifeline to patients who must be quickly transported for specialty care, whether it’s a newborn baby with life-threatening complications or the victim of a traumatic accident."

Strategically based in Spalding County, the Wellstar AirCare 2 air ambulance will quickly reach emergency scenes, Wellstar medical centers, hospitals that participate in the Wellstar Digital Care Network and other hospitals with a need for air transport. The Wellstar Digital Care Network supports hospitals in rural communities with remote access to specialists through Wellstar MCG Health and Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia (MCG) Center for Digital Health.

“Wellstar AirCare is unique in that it has the flexibility to treat patients of all ages with a wide range of medical conditions across urban, suburban and rural Georgia,” said Zack Lancaster, executive director of air medical transport and a flight nurse and paramedic. “Providing people with the medical care they need is a special experience. But being able to provide that care in the most urgent circumstances that only a helicopter can offer, whether it’s newborns or kids or adults, is one of the most rewarding things that I’ve done.”

AirCare flight crews live at the base station and are on call 24/7, so they can immediately respond to the scene of an emergency. Wellstar AirCare crews also fly by Instrument Flight Rules, which require sophisticated flight instruments and navigation systems that enable them to transport patients in low-visibility weather conditions.

Wellstar AirCare flight paramedics and flight nurses have extensive trauma and critical care experience. With the air ambulances' capabilities, they deliver sophisticated lifesaving care beyond what most ground-based ambulances can offer. These services include infusions of whole blood which can be critical for patients experiencing severe blood loss, transportation of newborn in an isolate, and patients on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) heart and lung bypass machine.

“One of the remarkable things about our Wellstar AirCare helicopters is they can accommodate neonatal, pediatric and adult patients who require specialized care such as blood transfusions or ECMO. These technologies in a hospital are amazing, but when you put them on a helicopter, the care that we can provide leaves you speechless,” said Dr. Coule.

Wellstar AirCare was established in 2021. Since its inception, it has transported more than 2,200 patients and flown more than 150,000 miles across five states: Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida and Alabama.

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Wellstar Health System and Columbia County Schools Partner to Provide Job Prospects for Students Interested in Healthcare

Busloads of Columbia County high school students funneled through a purple and blue balloon archway into their future on Jan. 23. The 2026 Opportunity Summit was held at Columbia County School District’s Support Complex to showcase career opportunities and benefits available at Wellstar to students who will be looking for jobs in healthcare after graduation.

Juniors and seniors spoke with Wellstar and Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center leadership about careers in both direct patient care and the many fields that support it. With the opening of the new Wellstar Columbia County Medical Center this fall, Wellstar has many open roles in Grovetown as well as its Augusta hospital and clinics. Students could also explore open careers in any of Wellstar’s 11 hospitals.

Students also had the opportunity to learn about employee benefits Wellstar offers, such as free tuition for some critical fields. For Bella Weeks, a junior at Greenbrier High School, that’s a major draw. Weeks knew she wanted to become a nurse after an accident landed her mom in the intensive care unit. The nursing team patiently answered her questions and let her help care for her mom, changing bandages and assisting with her mom’s physical therapy. She knew she wanted to do that for others after graduating high school.

Working at Wellstar would allow Weeks to attend nursing school at Augusta University for free, meaning she could earn a degree without accruing student debt while building her career near her family. She said she appreciated the Opportunity Summit because it gave her a chance to ask questions and learn more about programs not only at Wellstar, but also at local colleges such as Augusta University and Augusta Technical College, which were also in attendance.

“I think it’s very important to hire people, start them young and help them walk into it. It’s really scary going to the healthcare world and just walking into it. Having a little bit of knowledge beforehand really helps,” Weeks said.

Brooks Smith, the director of career and college readiness for Columbia County Schools, said partnerships like the one with Wellstar enable the school system to offer students resources to begin their careers. They also benefit the community by encouraging students to stay in the area and helping them find jobs with local businesses. Those businesses, in turn, benefit from a pipeline to grow their workforce.

“(Partnerships) are really beneficial for our students because basically we’re handing them off to their next steps. For these students today who are obviously interested in a career in healthcare, it’s a logical opportunity for us to provide for these students. We’re certainly very thankful that Wellstar has been willing to really initiate some of these partnerships that we now have,” Smith said.

Evelyn Rosenthal, Wellstar vice president and chief learning officer, wanted students to leave knowing that Wellstar eagerly wants to hire them. She said many of today’s graduating seniors have certifications the health system is looking for, such as certified medical assistants, maintenance and HVAC credentials, and valuable hands-on experience.

“They’re coming out of school with the education and certifications that we need to employ them immediately,” she said. “Bottom line: Every student who comes in here today who wants a job, we’re committed to giving them one.”

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Wellstar Honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King with Inspiring Systemwide MLK Day Streaming Event and Call to Action

On January 15, 2026, Wellstar Health System marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day through a powerful systemwide streaming event, viewed across hospitals, health parks, practices and offices via in-person watch parties and virtual access. Thousands of team members paused together to reflect, learn and recommit to service through a shared experience designed to unite the system.

Anchored by the theme “Carrying the Torch, Expanding the Dream: The Enduring Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King,” the program centered on Coretta Scott King’s essential, and often underrecognized, leadership. Beyond her role as partner and strategist in the Civil Rights Movement, Coretta Scott King founded The King Center, helped secure the establishment of the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday and extended the movement globally through advocacy for peace, economic justice and human rights, including early and sustained support for LGBTQ+ equality. Her work underscored that the movement’s progress depended on courageous, collective leadership.

The streaming event featured a reflective musical performance by cellist Okorie Johnson and an interfaith prayer by Wellstar Director of Spiritual Health Rev. Sarah Murray. Wellstar President and CEO Ketul J. Patel offered opening remarks and kicked off a compelling conversation between Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center, and Monica Kaufman Pearson, former Atlanta news anchor and current host for Atlanta News First and Peachtree TV. Their dialogue explored the enduring relevance of both leaders’ teachings, emphasizing nonviolence as a guiding philosophy alongside unity, moral courage and action as essential to creating positive change. Wellstar Chief Human Resources Officer David A. Jones offered brief closing remarks as the executive sponsor of the event.

In keeping with the spirit of Dr. King’s legacy, Wellstar encourages team members to carry this work forward not only by participating in volunteer opportunities on MLK Day, but by engaging in service and advocacy throughout the year, reinforcing the ongoing commitment Wellstar has to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging across the communities it serves.

The virtual program is available for on-demand viewing at https://youtu.be/bksp8gadNVM.

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