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Some healthcare workers say the latest increases in Covid-19 are adding to fatigue and burnout. But this time, the exhaustion is magnified by something new: frustration over insufficient vaccine coverage that could have prevented most Covid-19 patients from landing under their care.
The Delta variant has spiked Covid-19 infections in the United States to an average of around 100,000 per day, according to federal data, levels last reached before vaccines were available to many Americans . Hospitalizations and deaths have increased less sharply nationally, but in parts of the country with lower vaccination rates, more people are hospitalized for Covid-19 than ever before.
“The vibe is more frustrated than anything else,” said Claire White, intensive care unit nurse at Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers, Ark. More than 1,000 Covid-19 patients are hospitalized across Arkansas, according to federal data, near the state’s all-time record in January of just under 1,200 patients.
“It’s too late for them to get the vaccine, and a lot of them realize it, so it’s pretty demoralizing,” she said.
Earlier in the pandemic, healthcare workers caring for Covid-19 patients in overrun hospitals were hailed as heroes. Many have isolated themselves from their families and loved ones for weeks or months to ensure their safety. Some got sick or died. Many have come forward to help alleviate suffering as waves of patients moved through hospitals and intensive care units.
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