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As the nation battles a new wave of COVID-19 cases driven by the highly contagious Delta variant and the reluctance to vaccinate, Florida has quickly become the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States.
This week, the state broke its records for the number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals. Admissions have increased tenfold statewide in just over a month, and hospitals across the state face overwhelming demand again as their COVID-19 departments fill up after nearly emptying in June .
Alix Zacharski, nurse manager of a COVID-19 intensive care unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, told Yahoo News that she and her team have been caring for COVID-19 patients continuously since the start of the pandemic. last year, but that their patient list had shrunk significantly over the past two months, giving their staff a much-needed break. It quickly changed again. Last week, its eight-bed intensive care unit had to be expanded to support a new wave of COVID patients fueled by the hypercontagious variant Delta.
“By Friday July 30, we went from eight beds to 24 beds, so it tripled straight away,” Zacharski said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if I had to develop even more over the next two weeks.”
The seven-day average of new cases in Florida was 17,756 on August 3, a 700% increase from the seven-day average of 2,195 on July 3. The state now also leads the country in per capita hospitalizations for COVID-19, with 12,408 people hospitalized on Wednesday, according to data reported by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
After admissions for the last three consecutive days, Florida broke its record for total hospitalizations of 10,170 set in July of last year, which had been the worst month for COVID hospitalizations in the state since the start of the pandemic.
The Jackson Memorial Hospital, where Zacharski works, is Florida’s largest public hospital. As of Thursday, the Jackson Health System had 305 hospitalized patients positive for COVID-19. This is less than the 485 patients it had on July 27, 2020, during its pandemic peak, but a substantial increase nonetheless, which prompted the hospital to limit visitors again. Other South Florida hospitals that are starting to feel the impact of the increase have also taken additional steps, such as temporarily suspending elective surgeries.
“Unfortunately, there is not a surplus of multiple beds or multiple interventions, and multiple equipment to be able to treat everyone at the same time, so it’s a big impact that we impose, and a big burden. that we impose, on other parts of the health care system, ”said Zacharski.
Similar to what other hospitals across the country have reported, Zacharski said this outbreak of COVID-19 is different, in that the patients are younger.
“I had to say goodbye to the young people. Last Friday we lost a 27 year old man and a 54 year old man side by side who were extremely ill, ”she said.
According to Jackson, 90% of his COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated. The hospital system also admitted some vaccinated patients, but of the 28 who had been inoculated, 21 were immunocompromised transplant patients, who often do not respond to coronavirus vaccines because they are not as likely to generate such a robust immune response. .
In Miami-Dade County, about 61% of residents are fully immunized. That’s higher than the state average of 48.8% and the national average of almost 50%, but still below the 70% mark that experts initially believed could provide collective immunity to protect people. people who are unable to receive the vaccine due to underlying health problems. However, since the Delta variant is more contagious, experts now believe that the herd immunity threshold will be higher and that 70% may not be enough to prevent the spread of the virus.
Infectious disease experts also say these outbreaks can occur even in places with higher vaccination rates, like Miami-Dade. Large immunity gaps can be closed, they say, with lower vaccination rates among young people, who are more likely to socialize and congregate in larger groups.
Another factor that experts say is contributing to this new wave, besides the more contagious variant, is the relaxation of important mitigation measures designed to curb the spread of the virus. Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has resisted mandatory mask warrants and vaccine requirements. Last Friday, he banned school districts from forcing students to wear masks when school resumes next month.
Public health officials and local elected officials say they have pressured the DeSantis administration to take more drastic measures to bring the virus under control, but the governor has limited their ability to impose these measures. mitigation needed. In a press conference on Tuesday, as the state broke a new hospitalization record, DeSantis doubled, insisting the current peak will subside soon and will not impose any trade restrictions or any mask mandate.
“We are not closing,” he said. “We are going to open schools. We protect the work of every Floridian in this state. We protect small businesses from people. These interventions have failed repeatedly throughout this pandemic, not only in the United States but abroad. They haven’t stopped the spread, especially with Delta.
Dr Bernard Ashby, a Miami cardiologist and Florida state official for the Committee to Protect Healthcare, told Yahoo News DeSantis’ decision to ban mask warrants in schools is another example of the governor turning a public health problem into a political problem.
“I really need him to get the message across and understand that our lives are more important than politics. People over politics,” Ashby said. “We have tons and tons of data that indicates that masks decrease the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Yet it prohibits municipalities from making this decision, and it is something reckless and in fact detrimental, not only to the health of the students but to the teachers and the rest of the community. community, as these students can serve as vectors for further propagation of this Delta variant. “
For Zacharski, treating COVID-19 patients continues to be “physically exhausting and emotionally draining.” It’s especially difficult these days, she said, as she and her staff are still tired from the previous wave.
She called this variant of the virus “very aggressive”, adding that many patients arrive at the hospital already very ill and in need of intensive care almost immediately. “They just can’t catch their breath. … They need more oxygenation, ”she said, noting that these patients often need to be intubated afterwards.
Witnessing this, she said, discourages hospital staff, as vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective and protect against serious illness and hospitalization.
“I recommend that you kindly vaccinate. If you are not vaccinated, please take it seriously, ”Zacharski said. “Help us to help you. … Don’t let us be your nurse right now.
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