In Ohio, some hospitals are short of beds due to the surge in COVIDExBulletin

Martinez, Host:

For the next few minutes, we’ll focus on Ohio to see how this huge surge in COVID cases is pushing some states to limits. The state records a record daily number of cases. Some hospitals lack beds and thousands of National Guard members are stationed for assistance. Alongside us now is Dr. Jennifer Wall Forester. She is an infectious disease expert and deputy chief medical officer at UC Health in Cincinnati, Ohio. Doctor, you are in contact with hospitals and public health authorities throughout Ohio. How is your condition?

JENNIFER WALL FORRESTER: Good morning, A. not good. We have reached capacity in many hospitals. In fact, we are very close to having hospitalizations at this point this year above or above last year’s highs at this point.

Martinez: Are you worried that you may not be able to provide the care that people need right now?

Forester: Yeah, well, that’s right. So in Cincinnati, where I am, I don’t see much of the waves they see in the northeastern part of the state. And we know it will come. It’s pretty scary. As you said, we are already over capacity and are aware of the holiday gatherings that are happening and that it gets worse. Not only is it difficult to take care of people dying from incredible illness, but also whether you can give something like the absolute best care you want to give with limited resources every day. The anxiety of not being confident when I come is so thinly stretched that, frankly, it’s a pain.

Martinez: So what can doctors, state and perhaps federal officials do to help? So will there be more restrictions, or is it useful?

FORRESTER: At this point, I don’t think the restrictions on masking and closure of businesses and schools have been resolved. Indeed, schools are especially useful for our children. I have three people, so I know that. Again, the obligations being fulfilled did not help at this point. People, I think-believe me, healthcare professionals are the best people who want to end this. And I know that others want to end this too. Therefore, masking and those things do help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including the Omicron variant, but they are not necessarily fully covered by everyone.

As you pointed out, I am grateful that the National Guard is deployed in the hospital. Basically, some medically trained security guards can step into the role of nursing and other medical roles after some learning of each system. People who are not medically trained reduce the burden of non-medical tasks such as bathing and transportation, allowing nurses to actually return to what they have been trained on. conduct. What you really need …

Martinez: Doctor …

FORRESTER: Oh, please.

Martinez: That’s exactly what I was trying to ask you, and that’s what you really need. For example, what would you want if you could fulfill one wish that could be realistically given?

FORRESTER: Really, all we have to do for people is to get their boosters if they are already vaccinated. If they are hesitant at this point, now is the time. How efficiently and quickly this variant of Omicron spreads, they are at very high risk of infection. They are at risk-people who are not currently vaccinated are those who are hospitalized. They are, unfortunately, those who have died from this infection. And they are at high risk-even if they have a low or mild illness, they are at risk of infecting their family, their friends, their neighbors, and colleagues. So you really need someone to get vaccinated.

Martinez: Another really fast. I know that the FDA has approved Pfizer’s antivirals as the first approved home treatment for COVID. Do you think these medicines will help you put things off?

Forester: Well, I hope so. I am very excited about the types of medicines and treatments that help reduce the amount of hospitalization. A-A world where we don’t want to see any more people die in our states, the rest of the country, or other parts of the world. And it would be great if we could get over this.

Martinez: Dr. Jennifer Wall Forester of UC Health in Cincinnati, Ohio. Thank you doctor.

FORRESTER: Thank you.

Copyright © 2021 NPR. all rights reserved.Visit our website Terms of service When authority page of www.npr.org For more information.

NPR transcript Verb8tm, Inc., An NPR contractor, created using a proprietary transfer process developed by NPR. This text may not be in final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR programming is audio recording.