COVID Patients Fill Nebraska Hospitals
The recent surge in coronavirus cases is filling Nebraska's rural and metro hospitals
By News Channel Nebraska
NORFOLK - The so-called "fall surge" of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continues across Nebraska, putting a major strain on our health care centers.
Kelly Driscoll, President and CEO of Faith Regional in Norfolk, says, “Hospital capacity is a finite resource. We can’t predict, necessarily, what that will look like. I can tell you that the data shows a concerning trend”
Faith Regional added over a dozen special rooms to help handle the surge, but those rooms didn’t stay open for long.
“We added those 14 negative pressure rooms this past Friday. We had them filled in 48 hours.”
The recent spike in hospitalizations doesn’t mean the virus itself is intensifying, but it likely reflects a more casual approach to the pandemic in Nebraska's metro and rural towns.
“I wouldn’t say it’s getting more severe or that it’s hitting a more vulnerable population. None of us are immune to this virus. Whether you are young or old, living in the country or living in an urban area, it doesn’t really discriminate.”
As of Monday, more than two-thirds of the state’s hospital beds were filled. This not only makes it hard to handle the virus, but it also taxes the ability to tend to non-covid patients.
“Motor vehicle accidents still happen. Slips, trips, and falls still happen. Heart attacks still happen. People are giving birth and need those beds as well.”
The numbers and statistics can sound daunting, but they’re meant to raise awareness, not to scare people.
“It’s not about inciting fear. This is about minimizing the spread. We trust that our community will do that.”
Faith Regional continues to encourage Nebraskans to wear masks, wash hands, and try to socially distance. The health system also has a message for those on the front lines, and those in the communities they serve:
“Thank you to our health care workers for those hours you are putting in. Thank you to our community for trusting us to provide that care. We just ask that you continue to do the right thing to help us continue to provide that care. “