Surge in covid cases overwhelming some Florida hospitals

Posted 8/16/21

TALLAHASSEE -- About two-thirds of Florida hospitals are expecting critical staffing shortages this week, due to the influx of COVID-19 patients, according to the Florida Hospital Association (FHA). …

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Surge in covid cases overwhelming some Florida hospitals

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TALLAHASSEE -- About two-thirds of Florida hospitals are expecting critical staffing shortages this week, due to the influx of COVID-19 patients, according to the Florida Hospital Association (FHA). Nearly half of the state’s acute care hospitals are no longer accepting transfers from other hospitals. In some areas, after filling up all available patient rooms, hospitals have been forced to put non-covid patients in hospital conference rooms and cafeterias.

As of Aug. 13, there were 15,441 Floridians hospitalized due to COVID-19.

FHA reports 31.6% of current hospital patients in Florida are suffering from COVID-19.

“It is indescribable the level of stress and strain our brave frontline health care heroes have been under for more than 17 months and the heartbreaking losses they have experienced. Between increasing numbers of covid patients and unusually high patient volume of extremely ill non-covid patients, our hospitals are working to maximize their available staff and beds, including the use of conference rooms and cafeterias,” said Mary C. Mayhew, President and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association. “As Floridians, we must come together to reverse these staggering trends. Getting vaccinated is the only way to protect yourself and others from this virus – keeping you and your loved ones at home and not in a hospital bed.”

The majority of those hospitalized are unvaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data. While it is possible for a vaccinated person to contract the covid delta variant, most vaccinated people will have no symptoms or mild symptoms. The CDC reported 6,587 Covid-19 breakthrough cases as of July 26, 2021 including 6,239 hospitalizations and 1,263 deaths. With more than 163 million people in the United States who were fully vaccinated against Covid-19 at that time, that meas less than 0.004% of fully vaccinated persons had a breakthrough case that resulted in hospitalization and less than 0.001% of fully vaccinated people died from a breakthrough COVID-19 case.

According to the CDC, most of the breakthrough cases occurred in people over the age of 65. Some medications interfere with the effectiveness of the vaccines. (If you are concerned about the effectiveness of your vaccination, your doctor can order an antibody test to determine if the vaccine worked.)

 The FHA hospital survey released on Aug. 13 reflects responses from hospitals representing 82% of Florida’s acute care hospital beds. According to the survey:

• COVID-19 patients in ICU: 21.6%;

• COVID-19 patients on ventilators: 14.9%;

• COVID-19 patients transferred from nursing homes/long-term care: 2.7%;

• Hospitals expecting critical staffing shortage in next 7 days: 66.9%;

• Hospitals expanding into non-care areas in next 7 days: 29.4%;

• Hospitals not currently accepting patient transfers from other facilities: 45.5%.

COVID-19 infections in Florida continued to increase last week, with 151,415 new cases Aug. 6-12 (compared to 134,906 the previous week), according to the Florida Department of Health report released Aug. 13.

Florida had a new case positivity rate of 19.3 % for the week (compared to 18.9% previous week). 

Statewide 65% of those over age 12 have been vaccinated.

For Aug. 6-12, there were 286 new COVID-19 deaths in Florida (compared to 175 the previous week). The FDOH summary does not list where the deaths were. Since the pandemic began 40,766 Floridians have died related to the virus. 

Covid deaths included: 

• Under age 16: 10;

• Ages 16-29: 179;

• Ages 30-39: 451:

• Ages 40-49: 1,240;

• Ages 50-59: 3,097;

• Ages 60-64: 2,919;

• Ages 65+: 32,870.

To date, 1.4% of Floridians who tested positive for COVID-19 have died related to the virus, according to FDOH.

In South Central Florida, for the week of Aug 6-Aug. 12:

• Collier County: 70% of those over age 12 are vaccinated; 20.3% new positivity rate; 2,168 new cases for the week (compared to 1,963 previous week); 

• Glades County: 45% of those over age 12 vaccinated; 34.5% new positivity rate; 40 new cases for the week (compared to 19 the previous week);

• Hendry County: 49% of those over age 12 vaccinated; 22.6% new positivity rate; 222 new cases for the week (compared to 162 previous week);

• Highlands County: 60% of those over age 12 vaccinated; 23.1% new positivity rate; 626 new cases for the week (compared to 552 previous week);

• Martin County: 63% of persons over age 12 vaccinated; 18.1% new positivity rate; 652 new cases for the week (compared to 625 previous week);

• Okeechobee County: 42% of persons over age 12 vaccinated; 29.3% new positivity rate; 383 new cases for the week (compared to 210 previous week);

• Palm Beach County: 68% of persons over age 12 vaccinated; 17.8% new case positivity rate; 9,159 new cases for the week (compared to 7,787 previous week).

Florida has more than 1,000 vaccine distribution sites for eligible residents. Vaccines are free at all locations. To find COVID-19 testing or vaccination sites, go online to floridahealthcovid19.gov.

According to the Florida Department of Health, in the seven day period ending Aug. 12:

• 4,582 Collier County residents were vaccinated (compared to 4,756 previous week);

• 90 Glades County residents were vaccinated (compared to 100 previous week);

• 543 Hendry County residents were vaccinated (compared to 530 previous week;

• 952 Highlands County resident were vaccinated (compared to 1,077, previous week);

• 1,636 Martin County residents were vaccinated (compared to 1,670 previous week);

• 383 Okeechobee County residents were vaccinated (compared to 415, previous week);

• 16,335 Palm Beach County residents were vaccinated (compared to 18,094, previous week).

According to the most recent estimates by the Centers for Disease Control, the COVID-19 delta variant is now the dominant strain in the United States. 

Nationwide, COVID-19 cases numbers continue to fall in areas with higher rates of COVID-19 vaccinations, and rise in areas with lower vaccination rates.  

In Florida, older residents are more likely to be vaccinated.

• 86% of those over age 65 are vaccinated.

• 79% of those ages 60-64 are vaccinated.

• 71% of those ages 50-59 are vaccinated.

• 63% of those ages 40-49 are vaccinated;

• 54% of those ages 30-39 are vaccinated;

• 45% of those ages 20-29 are vaccinated;

• 44% of those ages 12-19 are vaccinated.

 CDC advises uses of masks

Because vaccinated persons may be infected with the covid delta variant and have no symptoms, the CDC advises everyone – vaccinated or unvaccinated – to wear a face mask in public places where it is not possible to maintain social distance of 6 feet from those not in your immediate household.

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued guidance recommending that everyone older than 2 wear a mask in schools, regardless of their vaccination status.

FDOH no longer releases information on hospitalizations by county,

As explained on the JohnsHopkinsmedicine.org website, by Lisa Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H., senior director of infection prevention, and Gabor Kelen, M.D., director of Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response: “Vaccines help people develop immunity to a virus or other germ. A vaccine introduces a less harmful part of that germ — or something created to look or behave like it — into a person’s body. The body’s immune system develops antibodies that fight that particular germ and keep the person from getting sick from it. Later, if the person encounters that germ again, their immune system can ‘recognize”’it and ‘remember’ how to fight it off.”

According to the New York Times as of July 17, 91% of Floridians over the age of 65 have received at least one dose of vaccine and 79% are fully vaccinated.

Hospitalizations per 100,000 population by county reported  by the New York Times included:

• Collier County - 7;

• Glades - 11;

• Hendry - 9;

• Highlands - 9;

• Martin - 19;

• Okeechobee - 5;

• Palm Beach - 9.

For counties with less than 100,000 population, these numbers will be higher than the actual number of persons hospitalized. For example, Palm Beach County has 1.3 million residents, so 9 persons per 100,000 would be approximately 117 persons. Glades County has a census population of 13,800 so 11 per 100,000 would be approximately 2 persons. Following the math, this indicates actual covid hospitalizations would be:

• Collier County - 27;

• Glades - 2;

• Hendry -  4;

• Highlands - 9;

• Martin - 31;

• Okeechobee - 2;

• Palm Beach - 117.

 

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