25 Covid Inpatients At Helen Keller Hospital

Breken Terry learned about the strain the surge in hospitalizations the hospital staff at Hellen Keller Hospital.

In new patients in the shoals.

Helen keller hospital in sheffield is currently caring for 25 patients with coronavirus.

That number is an increase over last week... waay 31's breken terry joins us live... she learned about the strain hospital staff are dealing with... breken?

Helen keller hospital had to expand its covid icu unit a few times this summer, and while they aren't there again quite yet there is concern about the impact of both covid paitents and the others they normally see this time of year.

Buchanan- we've been on the edge of our seat since halloween.

We have teetered in the low 20s to the high teens and it seems like every monday and tuesday we think okay are we about to approach 30 based on what we're seeing in the community.

Helen keller president kyle buchanan said of the 25 covid patients they're caring for 9 are critical and one is on a ventilator.

Buchanan- we try to intervene before mechanical ventilation so we generally try everything else before we move to that.

We have some really sick patients who aren't quite on a ventilator just yet but are sick nonetheless.

Buchanan said he knows covid fatigue is many of us, but he said everyone needs to continue taking precautions now more than ever.

Buchanan- we're well into month 9 of a global pandemic and we never thought we'd be at this point but yeah, the fatigue is there and it's real.

We're having to manage our way through that and remind ourselves that covid is just as deadly today as it was in march.

Our providers here in the hospital need community support and staying safe if not more today than back in march so it is real and we have to push through that buchanan said people need to wear their masks, social distance, and do everything possible to keep each other safe espically as we head into the holidays.

Live in the shoals bt