Top doctors in southwestern Michigan are calling on the public to take the COVID surge seriously.

Kalamazoo, Michigan — COVID-19 continues to attack western Michigan violently.

Hospitals are nearly full, including hospitals in southwestern Michigan. On Tuesday afternoon, Top Doctor of Bronson Healthcare and Ascension Boges in Kalamazoo and Oaklawn Hospital of Marshall held a media briefing at Western Michigan University, calling on the public to take this latest surge seriously.

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“We are here today to share what is happening in our healthcare system, the COVID-19 surge and seek your help. We need your help,” WMU said. Dr. William Nettleton said at the beginning of a media briefing at Homer Stryker School of Medicine. “What is happening now in our healthcare system is an unprecedented number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and non-COVID-19 hospitalizations.”

Dr. Nettleton, who is also the medical director of the Kalamazoo and Calhoun County Health Departments, said he is affecting individuals, families and communities. And it’s all preventable.

“Last week, 23 people, 23 members of our community, died from COVID at Bronson Hospital, which has caused the most deaths in the Bronson system since the pandemic began,” Bronson Health said. Dr. Aaron Lane Davis of Care said. “A growing number of young people are suffering from serious COVID disease.”

Dr. Lane Davis, who has been working in pediatrics for 20 years, said the case positive rate for children is increasing. Hospitals are also at peak levels in terms of hospitalization.

“Currently, Ascension Borguez Hospital has patients in their mid-50s. Of our 40 ICU beds, 15 are occupied by coronavirus patients, which is about 25% of our inpatient beds. “It will be,” said Dr. Thomas Rohs, Chief Medical Officer of Ascension Borges. “The real story today is how this pandemic affects access to care for everyone at all times, at least in both my emergency department and the community partner in a small hospital. We are waiting for a handful of patients to be transferred to our facility in Kalamazoo. “

Dr. Scott Gibson of Bronson Healthcare agreed. He said they were experiencing a capacity crisis associated with a COVID pandemic. Healthcare workers and frontline workers are overwhelmed by patient care and have to wait longer in the emergency room.

“Traditionally, very serious things such as car accidents, heart attacks, strokes, patients with serious infections can appear in one of the small hospitals, in which case they need more advanced care. I need it, “Dr. Gibson said on the podium. “When these locations and hospitals are overwhelmed by higher levels of care, we are forced to contact hospitals throughout the region to try to find the care they need for them. Ambulances are often not available for transportation, even if there is space for them. “

read more: Michigan has some of the best COVID-19 activities in excess of 221K since the pandemic began.

Doctors have said they are doing what they can to care for all patients, but waiting times continue to increase. This is what Dr. Summerliston-Crandal said he was seeing at Marshall’s Oak Lawn Hospital.

“Longer wait times, more people leaving without treatment, and more people who really need care,” said Dr. Liston Crandall. “There is a limitation that there are few or no beds that can be admitted to Oak Lawn or a nearby referral hospital.”

According to doctors, the surge in hospitalizations and surges has been an emotional blow to nurses, staff and frontline workers. Some have left not only because of their vaccination obligations, but also because of fatigue.

Doctors are also feeling the impact, Dr. Lane Davis said.

In a post-briefing interview, “In healthcare, we’re used to some sort of rallying and overcoming difficult times, and the pandemic didn’t give us the opportunity to come back to life.” .. “The peak and duration of this wave is costing healthcare professionals a lot.”

Therefore, doctors emphasized the importance of obtaining a vaccine. They said they understand that some people may not trust doctors and vaccines. So they encourage people to reach out to them with questions. But they believe it is the best way to defeat the virus and end the pandemic.

“I hope to achieve higher vaccination and protection rates than I have ever seen,” Dr. Liston Crandall said after the briefing. “People do the right thing and wear masks for kids basketball games, otherwise there is no basketball game.”

read more: Leading doctors continue to warn about the impact of COVID in local hospitals

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