Covid Update from Mississippi Department of health and Mississippi medical Association and Coast Hospitals sources
A few current stats:
What is more unique in this wave is the bed availability status due to pervasive nursing shortages as many choose contracted travel positions throughout the country. We would like to advocate for the state to allocate some of the $1,800,000,000.00 federal funds coming from Washington DC to be used to retain nurses in Mississippi. Not-for-profit hospitals simply do not have funds to do this, but federal funds could be allocated to a Mississippi RN job retention program in our opinion. Many hospitals in our state and the regions below cannot afford to adequately staff the needed beds to care for the sick (both CoViD and other) due to these unprecedented labor market conditions.
How can you avoid CoViD?
As we stated a year ago: “CoViD-19’s primary pathway of transmission is through droplets of saliva from an infected person. Primary opportunities for transmission of the virus are household contacts and large indoor gatherings. In the cases we have followed, many more people became infected from household contacts, friends, and acquaintances than from the other transmission opportunities. Besides being vaccinated, the best ways to attempt to avoid COVID19 are to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth when in public or with unwashed hands, practice physical social distancing of at least six feet apart, wear a facial covering or mask, and avoid large groups and gatherings.” Here is the link to the contact tracing study our team published last year if you would like to learn more.
Should you get vaccinated?
Consult a physician if you have questions. Ultimately it is a personal choice. “Healthcare is Selfcare” as we have said lately – we recommend you consult your doctor for a check-up and ask them for guidance. Whether you are pro or con regarding the vaccine, one thing is clear: being vaccinated almost guarantees you will not be killed or hospitalized by CoViD. Think also about the unbearable and indescribable stress of managing the tremendous number of CoViD patients that nurses are other clinicians are enduring. If you are considering getting vaccinated, and your doctor agrees, then do it - DO IT FOR THEM.
We are doubling down on our efforts to offer vaccinations to those who want them. Call us any time for an appointment we will work you in. We are also continuing to urge people to not put off other health assessments, check-ups, and screenings because your selfcare is as important now as it ever has been.
While I am an optimist, I believe that we have not quite crested the peak yet:
A few current stats:
- 95% of hospitalizations are unvaccinated (99% here locally).
- 61: current number hospitalized in our facilities; 16 in critical care in the ICU and several on ventilators. A few weeks ago there were only 8 admitted.
- 49: average age of a CoViD patient today versus age 67 a year ago.
- 15%: ICU beds open in the entire state presently, with hospitals along the coast close to zero ICU beds available.
- 0: per the State of MS database, there has not been a single verified death in MS caused by a CoViD vaccine; there may be one eventually been to date there are none confirmed.
- 25x: how much more likely an unvaccinated person is to be hospitalized with CoViD than a vaccinated person.
- 364: positive cases last week out of 2,245 tests collected; the more recent rate the last few days is 20%, or 1 out of 5 is positive.
- 1,260: “Delta’s delta” – according to one study the viral load is much higher making it much more contagious. However, it is not “worse” than other strains but simply more contagious – a progression that is typical in the progression of a virus like this. A study shows that T-cell responses provoked by the vaccines are still very strong against known variants, including Delta B.1.617.2.
What is more unique in this wave is the bed availability status due to pervasive nursing shortages as many choose contracted travel positions throughout the country. We would like to advocate for the state to allocate some of the $1,800,000,000.00 federal funds coming from Washington DC to be used to retain nurses in Mississippi. Not-for-profit hospitals simply do not have funds to do this, but federal funds could be allocated to a Mississippi RN job retention program in our opinion. Many hospitals in our state and the regions below cannot afford to adequately staff the needed beds to care for the sick (both CoViD and other) due to these unprecedented labor market conditions.
How can you avoid CoViD?
As we stated a year ago: “CoViD-19’s primary pathway of transmission is through droplets of saliva from an infected person. Primary opportunities for transmission of the virus are household contacts and large indoor gatherings. In the cases we have followed, many more people became infected from household contacts, friends, and acquaintances than from the other transmission opportunities. Besides being vaccinated, the best ways to attempt to avoid COVID19 are to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth when in public or with unwashed hands, practice physical social distancing of at least six feet apart, wear a facial covering or mask, and avoid large groups and gatherings.” Here is the link to the contact tracing study our team published last year if you would like to learn more.
Should you get vaccinated?
Consult a physician if you have questions. Ultimately it is a personal choice. “Healthcare is Selfcare” as we have said lately – we recommend you consult your doctor for a check-up and ask them for guidance. Whether you are pro or con regarding the vaccine, one thing is clear: being vaccinated almost guarantees you will not be killed or hospitalized by CoViD. Think also about the unbearable and indescribable stress of managing the tremendous number of CoViD patients that nurses are other clinicians are enduring. If you are considering getting vaccinated, and your doctor agrees, then do it - DO IT FOR THEM.
We are doubling down on our efforts to offer vaccinations to those who want them. Call us any time for an appointment we will work you in. We are also continuing to urge people to not put off other health assessments, check-ups, and screenings because your selfcare is as important now as it ever has been.
While I am an optimist, I believe that we have not quite crested the peak yet:
