Some Maryland Hospitals Nearing Capacity as COVID Cases Increase

Some Maryland hospitals are at, or reaching, capability because the Omicron COVID-19 variant continues to unfold within the area. Well being officers say they’re involved a rise in circumstances might push hospital methods to the brink.

The Calvert Well being Medical Middle, the one hospital in Calvert County, is close to capability. Medical doctors there are urging everybody to get vaccinated and boosted to scale back the chance of demise and the necessity for hospital beds.

Bob Atlas, who heads the Maryland Hospital Affiliation, says these hospitalized for the virus, roughly 15%, are pushing services to and previous their limits. The overwhelming majority of these essential COVID circumstances, Atlas says, are thought-about preventable.

“At our 12 College of Maryland Medical System hospitals, we have now skilled a 187 % enhance in COVID-positive sufferers in the course of the previous 4 weeks and are solely starting to really feel the impression of the Omicron variant,” the College of Maryland medical system mentioned in an announcement.

An inflow of COVID sufferers can have a ripple impact on hospitals, affecting their capacity to carry out non-emergency surgical procedures, adjustments in visitation insurance policies and having to switch sufferers to different services which have area.

Atlas mentioned a scarcity of well being care employees additionally contributes to the disaster.

Gov. Larry Hogan urged hospitals to replace their surge capability plans.

Specialists advised folks use pressing care and telehealth after they can to alleviate stress on the state’s emergency rooms.