More Virginians are hospitalized today for coronavirus-related health issues than at any other point during the pandemic.
According to the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association there are currently 1,860 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide. Back in mid-March, average daily hospitalization numbers hovered around 1,500 patients.
“The largest concern for our capacity right now is not so much bed space, it’s not so much ICU space, it’s not so much ventilators, it’s the staff,” said Governor Ralph Northam at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
The hospital system serving the southwest corner of Virginia and northeast Tennessee, Ballad Health, announced earlier Wednesday that they will suspend elective procedures beginning next week, shifting employees to bedside duties.
Northam did say in his news conference that a blanket statewide ban on elective surgeries, which was done at the beginning of the pandemic, isn’t necessary now.
“There are other healthcare systems in Virginia that are nowhere near hitting their capacity, so rather than do blanket mitigation we’re allowing the healthcare systems to make those decisions,” Northam said, adding that state health officials are in daily communication with the hospital systems.
Northam continued to encourage Virginians to avoid large social gatherings and wear a mask.
“Health directors tell us that schools and workplaces are largely doing well to follow the requirements, but that the virus is spreading when people gather with friends or coworkers after work or school,” said Northam.
Family gatherings, he added, have also been to blame. Health officials have already seen Thanksgiving-related exposures cause entire families to have to quarantine, and they’re continuing to watch for a post-Thanksgiving surge.
Despite those expected increases, the state is not announcing any new mitigation measures, but continuing to stress the need to follow existing protocols.
“I ask everyone to remember our shared community responsibility,” Northam said. “I appreciate the vast majority of Virginians who understand that we are all in this together.”
