The Perfect Enemy | Staffing concerns at hospitals as COVID-19 cases rise

Staffing concerns at hospitals as COVID-19 cases rise

VIRUSES IS VERY TROUBLING. BUT WE’RE ALREADY AT, YOU KNOW, SOME DAYS. 75 TO 90% CAPACITY WITH JUST GENERAL CARE. A BUSY EXETER HOSPITAL FOR A RISE IN COVID HOSPITALIZED NATIONS. WENTWORTH-DOUGLASS IN DOVER, ALREADY FEELING IT, SEEING A JUMP IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. WE’RE EXPECTING SEEING OF 4 TO 5 TIMES INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INPATIENTS WERE ADMITTED EITHER FOR OR WITH COVID 19. STATEWIDE MORE 150 PEOPLE ARE NOW HOSPITAL WITH COVID. THAT’S DOUBLE A MONTH AGO, OVER 40 HOSPITALIZED BECAUSE OF COVID 114% HIGHER. AND A RECORD SAYS HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION STARTED TRACKING THEM IN MARCH. DR. SAYS WHILE VACCINES ARE KEEPING MANY OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND INCREASING SURVIVAL RATES, EVEN PATIENTS WHO JUST TEST POSITIVE STRETCH RESOURCES. IT LEADS TO MORE PRECAUTION AS THEY NEED TO BE ISOLATED IN THEIR OWN ROOM OR COHORTED WITH OTHER PATIENTS WHO MAY HAVE COVID, HE SAYS. RIGHT NOW, EXETER HOSPITAL IS FULLY STAFFED IN CRITICAL AREAS. WENTWORTH-DOUGLASS NOW HAS STAFF OUT WITH COVID. WE CONCERNED LOOKING AHEAD AT THE WINTER WITH THE TRENDS THAT WE’VE ALREADY SEEN BEFORE, EVEN INTO THE FLU SEASON. CLASSIC VIRUSES LIKE RSV THAT HAVE A SEASONALITY DURING THE WINTER. YOU HAVE INFLUENZA WHICH ALSO HAS ITS OWN DEATH RATE. AND ON SERIOUSNESS THROUGHOUT THE WINTER THAT, WE DEAL WITH EVERY YEAR AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A SURGE OF COVID AS WELL WELL. THE RESOUNDING MESSAGE IS, GET THE FLU VACCINE, GET THE COVID IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, AND GET OMICRON BOOSTER FOR THE SAKE OUR FAMILIES, OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR HE

Staffing concerns at hospitals as COVID-19 cases rise

New Hampshire hospital officials said they’re concerned that rising COVID-19 cases, coupled with the return of winter viruses, will exacerbate staffing issues.