Health experts fear Morgan County virus spread after July Fourth gatherings
Decatur DailyJul 07, 2020
"During the
As of Monday, the
ADPH reported 44,375 cases statewide -- up 24% in the last seven days --and at least 984 deaths since the pandemic began.
"We would love to think that it wouldn't happen, but we don't have any positive experience to base that on," Smith said. "Quite honestly what we're anticipating is, by the end of this week, people will want to be tested."
Smith said many facilities are preparing for a possible jump in testing requests.
At a press conference Monday morning, Walden said
"We have excellent physicians and from day one they have said if we can possibly keep a patient off the ventilator, we want to do that. It's not good for the patients," Walden said. "However, when they get to a certain point and there's no alternative, we do put them on."
Walden said it's not just larger events, like
"As people get more comfortable going back to shopping, gathering, all those things, we're going to see numbers rise even higher," she said. "That's what has happened in other counties:
Walden said a rise in cases could strain the hospital's resources.
"We cannot afford to fill up all of our beds with COVID patients and not have room to do our elective surgeries, or take care of our sick people. ICU beds in particular worry me a lot," Walden said.
Smith said ensuring there are sufficient resources to care for every patient in a hospital is more complex than simply having enough beds.
"It's not just the bed issue. It's the bed, it's the staff, it's the equipment that's needed to take care of that person, and it's the broad need for taking care of one diagnosis when we still have many, many other things going on," Smith said. "If COVID overwhelms the hospital -- if COVID takes up a lot of beds, a lot of staff -- then that diminishes the ability for that facility to be available for all the other needs that continue to be out there."
Smith emphasized the importance of wearing a mask in public, social distancing, washing and sanitizing hands frequently, and staying away from others if sick.
-- cassie.kuhn@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2469. Twitter @ DD_CassieKuhn.
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