R.C. COVID Spike: “We need the community’s help,” Says Hospital CEO
ROBERTSON COUNTY TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – An uptick in COVID numbers in Robertson County will likely have city and county leaders considering alternatives.
According to NorthCrest Medical Center President & CEO Randy Davis, a large number of community members have been reaching out to him concerned about the rising number of COVID cases in Robertson County.
“We started the day Wednesday with 21 COVID positive patients, 9 of those are in our intensive care unit requiring the use of ventilators,” Davis said. “While COVID numbers capture much of our attention, we have to remember we also have non-COVID patients requiring the use of the hospital. People still have heart attacks, strokes, suffer injuries, and require emergency surgery. Those patients along with the COVID patients have combined to create a situation where we have limited capacity remaining. Anyone coming into our emergency room is going to experience longer wait times due to the massively increased volume of patients we are treating. Many of our ER rooms are being utilized as intensive care rooms because our ICU is completely full and cannot accept any more patients.
“On a personal side, I want the community to know these nurses, physicians, and support staff are tired. They are tired, but they are also frustrated. For the last few days, 100% of the patients admitted to the hospital with COVID have been unvaccinated. Since the beginning of August, 90% of the COVID patients have been unvaccinated. We have to listen to people express wild ideas about conspiracy theories, government overreach, and individual rights but in our world which is the hospital, we are running out of staff, space and equipment taking care of the unvaccinated masses. In turn, when the heart attack, stroke, or trauma comes in, we are struggling to provide world-class care to those patients because unvaccinated COVID patients have inundated the system.
“While unpopular, and for some reason offensive to many, we need the community’s help to relieve this pressure. You need to get vaccinated, but a vaccine isn’t going to become effective in time to help you with this surge. What we need now is for the community to be diligent in your hand hygiene, practice social distancing, and wear a mask. We have to reduce the speed at which this virus is infecting people. Please do this for us, for your neighbor, and for these amazing hospital employees who are giving their all to save you.”
Davis wanted to reiterate that NorthCrest is not overcapacity and the hospital is still operational but COVID numbers are climbing. If COVID numbers continue to trend upward the hospital could easily become overwhelmed. “What we need is just a little help from the community to level off the numbers,” Davis said. “Avoid large gatherings if possible, wear a mask, wash your hands and use sanitizer. Getting vaccinated will also help.”
City and county leaders are looking at the numbers. What role do you think the government should play? Should masks be mandated? Should large gatherings be limited? Should city and county leaders leave those decisions up to citizens? Tell us in comments on Smokey’s Facebook page.
City of Springfield, Tennessee
Update:
The city of Springfield has suspended free Friday Movie Night but all other city parks and services will remain open to the public.
That could change after a review of the numbers next week.
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