The state marked another critical COVID milestone today, the lowest number of hospitalizations since spring of 2020. On Thursday the lowest was 235 and today it’s 226. Chief of Hospital Medicine at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport, Dr. Mike Sewell said he believes an increase in vaccinations is largely responsible.
“I also think that we’re deep enough into the pandemic that people are a little more aware of social distancing and clean hands and mask-wearing. I think all of those things have contributed,” said Sewell.
Sewell said it’s been difficult to care for non-COVID patients, especially acute ones, like heart attacks, strokes, and traumas when the hospital is at max capacity with COVID patients.
“We’re excited about being able to provide a lot more services in the realm of primary care and preventative services, now that not all of our resources are having to be focused towards COVID patients,” said Sewell.
In the past the state has noted an increase in COVID cases after major holidays, Sewell said that’s most likely a combination of gatherings and an emergence of new variants. With Thanksgiving only weeks away Sewell said he’s cautiously optimistic that this holiday season with the vaccine we won’t see a surge and thus keep hospitalizations down.
“Maybe we’re starting to get herd immunity to some degree, we’re getting vaccine immunity, maybe we’re on the backside of this, but we’re also prepared should another surge arise,” said Sewell.
Comments