Hospitals urge people to get vaccinated as hospitalizations rise and resources shrink

MADISON, Wisconsin – A group of hospitals in southern Wisconsin is begging people to get vaccinated against COVID as hospitalizations continue to rise in the region and rural hospitals see their resources depleted.

The South Central Wisconsin Healthcare Emergency Readiness Coalition released a statement Friday morning indicating that hospitals and other healthcare facilities in south-central Wisconsin’s 14 counties are experiencing high numbers of inpatients, limiting the availability of hospital beds for all. conditions, not just COVID-19.

The spike in patients covers both those hospitalized for COVID-19 and other illnesses, but the coalition says preventable hospitalizations for COVID-19 are putting the most pressure on the system.

“This current volume of patients extends across critical care areas of hospitals, such as intensive care units (ICUs), general practice floors and emergency departments,” the Coalition said in a statement Friday. . “With limited resources, it becomes more difficult to receive care near you if you need it for both COVID and non-COVID-related illnesses. “

For this reason, they urge anyone who has not yet been vaccinated to get vaccinated against COVID. While groundbreaking cases of COVID-19 are still possible in those vaccinated, symptoms are much milder and COVID hospitalizations are extremely rare for those vaccinated.

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The Coalition says the total number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations quadrupled from July 28 to September 1, and intensive care hospitalizations increased 5.5 times previous levels. These intensive care hospitalizations put the greatest strain on the health system, according to the Coalition, as many rural hospitals lack intensive care capacity, which means these people are being placed in hospitals further away from home. them and their families, and are fighting for critical care spaces in bigger places like Madison.

“To better control the situation, hospitals urge everyone to continue to be vigilant with COVID-19 safety measures, such as receiving any COVID-19 vaccine, masking and physically moving away if necessary,” said the Coalition said in its press release.

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