KC experts warn that cases of COVID-19 will increase before the holidays

Kansas City, Missouri — Friday morning, the Chief Medical Officer of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area jointly appealed to the public.

With the proliferation of COVID-19 cases in hospitals and the emergence of Omicron variants, medical personnel said they were worried about what this meant in January.

“Danger is a reality. It exists and is at our doorstep. This is a warning to you. We are in trouble,” said Dr. Stephen Stetes of the University of Kansas Health System.

Health officials call the current state of the pandemic a “death march without vaccination.” In hospitals, the number of inpatients is increasing at a record high as people gather indoors in cold weather and the masks come off. In most regional hospitals, 80-90 percent of inpatients with COVID-19 are unvaccinated.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, one in 400 people in Kansas has died of COVID-19. Doctors also warned that in the near future, reinfection will occur with the spread of the Omicron variant. New York City has the third highest positive rate since the pandemic began.

According to doctors, one of the biggest problems at present is the lack of capacity of local hospitals. This is due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 and employee burnout. Opening the ICU bed doesn’t make sense without someone to take care of it.

“With our staff, they are tired and overworked, and we continue to ask them to do more and more with these volumes. And we are with travelers. Their contract will expire because they anticipate the problem, “said Dr. Elizabeth Long, Chief Medical Officer of Oreisa Health.

Many retired last year, and the School of Nursing is only about half of the graduates, Long said.

“It’s not just a daily struggle, it’s an hourly struggle. Every hour, how many nurses we need, how many nurses we can hire, when we can get here, We are constantly monitoring how long we can stay and what we have to pay, which is a constant conversation, “said Dr. Kimberly Mego, Chief Medical Officer of HCAMidwest Health.

Physicians also remind the public that staff shortages have a direct impact on patients in need of treatment for other illnesses. When dealing with a stroke, heart attack, or trauma, it can be a matter of life or death. The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis had already had to cancel or reschedule eight surgeries.

According to the hospital, the tough numbers we are seeing now are the effects of the delta mutations over the last three weeks, and the youngest population is no exception.

Dr. Jennifer Watts of Children’s Mercy said there were more than 400 positive cases this week. She said the impact of hospitalization on children exceeds the difficult time in the hospital. It affects their nutrition, development and overall well-being. Needless to say, sending children to school was a major priority for educators. The system has been trying to catch up with them now since last year.

“Our typical winter in a pediatric population is a large epidemic of influenza and other winter viral illnesses. When the mask is removed at school, it is an extreme risk to us with a typical winter surge. COVID has been exacerbated by a shortage of staff, “says Watts.

Reportedly, the number of influenza vaccines given this season is also historically low. Watt stays in our school and encourages parents to mask to help their children overcome this winter’s challenges.

With the arrival of new varieties, local hospitals are asking the general public to reassess their vacation plans. Dr. Jennifer Schlimscher of Lawrence Memorial Hospital is calling on people to consider the health of those around them, although they may be healthy personally.

“I’m looking for smaller gatherings that try to stay with my family instead of traveling all over the United States. I know if it’s okay. Open the windows and when you’re not eating Please wear a mask, “says Schlimshire.

Dr. Raghu Adiga of Liberty Hospital also recommended a quick examination at the pharmacy on Christmas gathering day.

Doctors advise unvaccinated people to take injections before large gatherings and those who have already been vaccinated to get boosters.

“The best gift I can give to someone right now is to respect and follow the rules of infection control because I want to bring them here for the next holiday season,” says Stites.