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The COVID-19 outbreak in North Carolina is not only affecting patients and families, but it is also affecting people with other illnesses and injuries that require treatment.
With hospital emergency departments filled with COVID-19 patients, Faye Buchanan told WRAL News she believes she can get a burn in emergency care.
“Nobody wants to go to the emergency room now,” she said.
Buchanan burned her hand trying to put out a kitchen fire and sought treatment at two emergency care centers, but doctors there, fearing she had inhaled smoke, l ‘sent to the emergency room. She ended up waiting for hours – in a hall and eventually a hallway – at the UNC REX Hospital.
“What are you supposed to do?” I mean, we have a pandemic, ”she said. “And then you have regular accidents and regular illnesses, you know. It’s never taken a vacation. Someone else.”
Hospital administrators told WRAL News the wait can be anywhere from 5 to 3 hours for those without a life-threatening emergency.
Buchanan said she understands the challenges the hospital faces, but worries about others in a similar situation.
“If we don’t control this, we’re going to be in a situation where people who need emergency care might not be able to get it,” she said.
As COVID-19 hospitalizations climb to a pandemic peak, Triangle health officials have echoed the same warning.
3,815 people were being treated for COVID in North Carolina hospitals as of Thursday, state data showed.
“COVID definitely puts additional pressure on our normal patient volumes,” said Rowell Daniels, COO of UNC Medical Center. “And, obviously, a lot of this strain is due to the lack of vaccination in our community.”
Daniels noted that 85% of COVID-19 patients in UNC hospitals have not been vaccinated, 93% of those in intensive care with COVID are not vaccinated, and all recent COVID hospital deaths are from people who have not been vaccinated. ‘have not been vaccinated.
At UNC Health Southeastern in Lumberton, Vice President and Executive Chief Nurse Renae Taylor said 60 patients were being treated for COVID-19.
“The majority of them have not been vaccinated. So, from where I sit as chief executive, it’s a little frustrating to think that maybe they could have been avoided if they were. they had received the vaccine, ”she said. “We want people to get vaccinated because it tests our organization. “
Buchanan has this message for others after his experience. “You really don’t want to go to the ER now if you don’t have to.”
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