Southeast Georgia Health System postpones some elective surgeries, limits hospital visitation

Medical unit astatine the Southeast Georgia Health System had hoped the COVID-19 vaccine would bring immoderate alleviation that they accidental they each desperately need, but instead, they’re dealing with different surge, which is putting a strain connected wellness attraction workers.

The Health System said it is astatine capacity. As a result, immoderate elective surgeries are being postponed due to the fact that determination are nary beds to enactment a diligent aft a hep country for an overnight stay. The infirmary is besides going backmost to limiting visitors to 1 per patient.

Nurses are pleading with the assemblage to get vaccinated arsenic they spot an influx of COVID-19 patients capable up the infirmary some successful Glynn and Camden counties.

“Long hold times,” said Dr. Alan Brown, main aesculapian officer. “If you travel successful done the exigency room, the exigency country is already holding backed up admissions due to the fact that we don’t person the beds to enactment them in. We’re taking steps backward wherever we were a twelvemonth ago.”

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Some hospitals are creating tract hospitals due to the fact that they’re moving retired of beds. Brown said the Health System could scope that constituent wrong the adjacent 10 days.

“In bid for america to get herd immunity, if we’re capable to instrumentality the vaccine, you person to instrumentality it,” helium said. “Because there’s a percent of the herd that conscionable can’t instrumentality the vaccine oregon get protected similar the kids nether the property of 12 oregon compromised patients.”

Southeast Georgia Health System said determination are 95 COVID-19 patients presently hospitalized -- 72 astatine the Brunswick campus, wherever determination are 16 connected ventilators, and 23 successful St. Marys.

Brown said the community’s vaccination complaint is little than 40%.

“These patients are getting sicker faster,” said Jan Jones, manager of Patient Care Services. “We’re seeing much radical travel successful and astir the radical that were seeing are unvaccinated.”

Jones said this surge isn’t similar the 1 past year. She said it’s not lone physically exhausting but mentally exhausting.

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“This is causing a immense strain connected our Health System. Our physicians are nurses and truly each section successful the hospital,” she said.

Jones said it’s a revolving doorway of patients that they can’t stop.

“We’re tired, and we’re astatine our wits’ end,” said Jones. “As soon arsenic a diligent is discharged from our captious attraction unit, oregon worse, is deceased, there’s different diligent to enactment successful that bed.

As the cases surge successful Southeast Georgia, the Health System is encouraging parents to person their children property 12 and up get the vaccine. ids – property 12 and up to get the vaccine.

While masks are not mandatory successful Glynn County classrooms, aesculapian experts are recommending them for erstwhile schoolhouse starts Tuesday. In Camden County, school has already begun, and masks are required.

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The Health System offers escaped COVID-19 vaccinations to everyone property 12 and older astatine its Brunswick and Camden campuses. Dates and addresses are listed connected the Health System’s website astatine sghs.org/covid19-vaccine. Individuals with questions astir COVID-19 symptoms tin telephone the Health System’s escaped screening hotline astatine 912-466-7222.

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