Update: COVID Hospitalizations in Alabama, Blood Shortage
According the Dr. Don Williamson, CEO of the Alabama Hospital Association, as of Wednesday there were only about 5 1/2% of ICU beds available statewide.
As the Omicron variant continues to spread, hospitals are now seeing a staff shortage along with ICU beds.
“In parts of the state, we actually had more patients needing ICU care than we had available ICU beds,” said Williamson.
The CEO tells us that the reason the Omicron surge is now worse than the Delta is because of the impact it’s having on staff. Though the good news is that staff members are less likely to get as sick with omicron as they did with delta, especially the ones who are vaccinated.
“Because they’re out for 5 days or so in isolation of quarantine that dramatically exacerbates our shortage of healthcare workers,” said Williamson, “Making it more difficult to take care of 2900 patients now in hospitals than it did to take care 2900 patients in hospitals back in August of September.”
Hospitals are also in dire need of blood donations as the blood counts are critically low. If you would like to donate blood or want more information on how to visit here.
