HARTFORD, Conn. — COVID-19 cases are surging in Connecticut and that means the state's hospitals are filling up.
"We are definitely being challenged by this wave of the pandemic," said RN Audrey Silver, Nurse Manager for Hartford Hospital's Emergency Department.
Silver says they’re experiencing extraordinary volumes, some of the highest in department history within the last week.
But they’re not seeing the levels of severity experienced in previous waves.
"So many of the patients that are coming in, with this wave, we're able to treat and then transition home safely," said Silver.
Jeff Flaks, President and CEO of Hartford HealthCare, says the people they are caring for are under a very different set of circumstances.
There are significantly fewer people who are in critical care. That's in part because there are many different medical interventions available now, he says, and most significantly, we have a large portion of people vaccinated and boosted.
Hartford HealthCare currently has 425 COVID-19 positive patients across its health care system.
"That's about the peak number we had in April 2020," said Flaks, "but at the same time it's very different."
Still, hospitals are not only managing patients but fluctuating staff levels. Flaks says at this moment, just over 600 employees are out of work because they are COVID positive.
"We need to weather the storm, and that's what our organization and health systems like us in Connecticut are doing in this moment," said Flaks.
Connecticut’s positivity rate remains high, at just over 22% on Wednesday, and that translates into more hospitalizations in the coming days and weeks.
Trinity Health of New England is prepared with a surge plan to ramp up its capacity if needed.
“We’ve never had to resort to that, but we are prepared," said Dr. Syed Hussain, Chief Clinical Officer for Trinity Health of New England, "and we are prepared to take care of both COVID and non-COVID patients.”
Doctor Hussain says they’re monitoring and forecasting day-to-day.
But he says, right now, they are comfortable managing Connecticut’s current surge and the potential staffing issues that come with it. He does reiterate the tools they now have to fight COVID are making a difference.
“Even though there’s an increase in hospitalizations, we aren’t seeing that many critically ill patients that require ventilators," said Dr. Hussain.
Dr. Hussain also reminds us all that a large chunk of patients that are admitted with COVID-19 are unvaccinated. State health officials said Wednesday that 67.3% of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Connecticut are unvaccinated.
Jenn Bernstein is an anchor at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jbernstein@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
---
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
---
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.