As Hospitalizations Soar, Ask Yourself: What Else Can I Do To Prevent Covid?
"It's time for everyone to pitch in and do what works. Wear your mask indoors. Avoid gatherings. ... Get your vaccine and, if eligible, get boosted. That's how we'll get through this surge" said Democratic Gov. John Carney of Delaware, where hospitals are coping with "over 100% inpatient bed capacity."
CNN:
Covid-19 Hospitalizations In The US Reach Levels Not Seen Since Last Winter's Surge
The spread of the Omicron variant is causing widespread disruption across the US as hospitalizations reach a level not seen since the 2020-21 holiday surge. More than 141,000 Americans were hospitalized with Covid-19 as of Monday, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services, nearing the record of 142,246 hospitalizations on January 14, 2021. The burden is straining health care networks as hospitals juggle staffing issues caused by the increased demand coupled with employees, who are at a higher risk of infection, having to isolate and recover after testing positive. (Caldwell, 1/11)
The Washington Post:
U.S. Poised To Break Covid-19 Hospitalization Record
The United States is poised to surpass its record for covid-19 hospitalizations as soon as Tuesday, with no end in sight to skyrocketing case loads, falling staff levels and the struggles of a medical system trying to provide care amid an unprecedented surge of the coronavirus. Monday’s total of 141,385 people in U.S. hospitals with covid-19 fell just short of the record of 142,273 set on Jan. 14, 2021, during the previous peak of the pandemic in this country. (Nirappil, Shammas, Keating and Bernstein, 1/10)
In updates from Virginia, Kentucky, New York and New Jersey —
The Washington Post:
Virginia Hospitals In State Of Emergency, Says Northam
Gov. Ralph Northam on Monday issued a limited state of emergency for hospitals stretched dangerously thin amid historic surges in coronavirus caseloads. The provisions of the targeted 30-day state-of-emergency order will make technical changes to expand capacity and increase staffing at hospitals while they grapple with the pandemic, seasonal flu and a general increase in acuity after patients deferred care. (Portnoy, Brice-Saddler and Vozzella, 1/10)
AP:
Beshear Activates National Guard To Help Strained Hospitals
In response to rising hospitalizations, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday that more Kentucky National Guard members will deploy to 30 health care facilities, beginning this week.Kentucky is currently experiencing a record surge of COVID-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant that has started to strain some of the state’s hospitals. Roughly one-third of Kentucky’s hospitals are reporting critical staffing shortages. (1/10)
Crain's New York Business:
New York City Hospital Data Indicates Available Beds—But Healthcare Workers Say Otherwise
Hospitals across New York City report thousands of available beds, but healthcare workers on the front lines say they struggle to find beds for a rising tide of patients. More than 12,000 total patients are hospitalized in the city, according to state data posted Sunday. About 6,100 have COVID—a number not seen since May 2020—including roughly 750 in intensive care units. Still, about 20% of the city's hospital beds are available, according to self-reported data from hospitals that the state publishes online by hospital. (Kaufman, 1/10)
Bloomberg:
New Jersey Now Expects Smaller Covid Peak Later In January
New Jersey may have 8,000 Covid-related hospitalizations, nearing the state’s pandemic peak, in the third week of January, according to Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. “We do believe we are going to have high levels for a couple of weeks,” Persichilli said Monday during a virus briefing. She said daily cases were expected to hit 20,000 to 30,000 through January. An earlier prediction, based on modeling, suggested as many as 9,000 hospitalizations by Jan. 14. New Jersey had more than 8,000 virus-infected inpatients in April 2020. (Young, 1/10)
Also —
The New York Times:
How Families Can Navigate The I.C.U.
In the last two years, the letters I.C.U. have become almost as familiar to the listening and reading public as PBS and NBC, as intensive care units across the country have been overwhelmed with people suffering from severe Covid-19. Meanwhile, medical personnel continue to struggle to care for patients with serious injuries, diseases or surgical complications who also require critical care. Intensive care can be a difficult and traumatizing experience for patients whose lives depend on it. And, according to the author of an extraordinarily thorough and helpful new book, the families and friends of patients who require prolonged stays in an I.C.U. often suffer along with them. (Brody, 1/10)
