Augusta Health Creates Second Intensive Care Unit, Brings Tent, Mobile Mortuary As COVID-19 Cases Rise

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HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – Over the past month, COVID-19 cases in the valley have increased after hitting a low in June and early July.

Augusta Health says they expect the increase in cases and hospitalizations to continue for the remainder of the month.

“Most of your experts would say that what we are going through was preventable to some extent if we as a united society had done all we could,” said Scott Crabtree, assistant vice president of professional services. from Augusta Health.

Crabtree says the positivity rate has not only increased, it has almost quadrupled.

“We’re still on the rise in COVID cases and COVID positive admissions here at the hospital,” Crabtree said.

Crabtree says they anticipate more COVID positive patients, and he adds that there were 60 COVID patients as of Friday morning.

“We expect the COVID count of inpatients to reach around 100 over the next two to three weeks, which is frightening. “

In order to accommodate so many patients, Augusta Health had to make some changes. They said in an update Thursday that they would temporarily suspend some elective surgeries.

“Right now what we’re doing primarily is trying to postpone some elective procedures, especially elective procedures that require hospitalization,” Crabtree said.

With fewer patients, Crabtree says they are able to accept more people in need. In addition, some staff have been redeployed throughout the hospital.

“Some of the closures or phased downs we’re doing are specifically so that we can take qualified staff from one area and send them elsewhere to the hospital to help where the need may be greatest,” said Crabtree.

The changes don’t stop there.

“We have created a second intensive care unit in the last two weeks, and this has allowed us to have an intensive care unit solely dedicated to the care of COVID positive patients,” Crabtree said.

They’ve also set up a large tent next to the emergency department, and he says they’ve brought a mobile mortuary. To date, Crabtree says neither has been used, but they are available if needed.

Crabtree says his own experiences in the community tell him why cases are increasing now.

“A lot of people don’t seem to be taking the pandemic seriously right now, due to their apparent reluctance to wear a mask and social distancing,” Crabtree said.

At a time when many people are divided, Crabtree says the community needs to support each other.

“If you’re not necessarily going to wear a mask because you don’t mind catching COVID, at least wear one so that you can maybe protect others or maybe your loved ones,” Crabtree said.

Above all, Crabtree says it’s important to get the vaccine. The hospital took to Facebook to say that 48 patients are not vaccinated and 12 are vaccinated.

Crabtree says that most of the vaccinated patients have not been to intensive care, which reinforces the fact that the vaccine is effective in preventing serious infections.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Shenandoah Central Health District reported that 48.9% of the district is fully immunized. 57% of adults are fully vaccinated.

For a testing site near you, visit the Virginia Department of Health website. To get vaccinated, visit the Augusta Health website.

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