UAB Hospital Braces For ‘Terrifying’ Increase in COVID Hospitalizations
As Alabama extends its statewide mask order, UAB Hospital is preparing for what could be a “terrifying” increase in COVID hospitalizations.
“We are exhausted and it’s only the beginning,” said UAB’s Chief of Hospital Medicine Dr. Kiersten Kennedy during a press conference Wednesday.
Kennedy said public health experts predict the hospital’s COVID patient load to double by next week. As of Tuesday afternoon, the hospital was caring for 140 inpatients.
UAB is reducing elective procedures, expanding capacity in Intensive Care Units and recruiting more staff to keep up with increasing demand.
“When you start to get overwhelmed with all these COVID volumes, it decreases your ability to care for the non-COVID patients,” Kennedy said.
COVID patients currently occupy about 13% of hospital beds in Jefferson County, home to UAB, the state’s largest hospital. In other counties, COVID patients occupy more than 30% of hospital inpatient beds, with Fayette and Tallapoosa counties nearing a 40% occupancy rate.
Kennedy said if something does not change soon, hospitals across Alabama could become overwhelmed and unable to care for patients.
“I don’t think any of us has lived during a time where we’ve had to worry that if we got really sick, that if you came to a hospital, people would not be able to rush you back and take care of you immediately,” she said, “And what we’re saying is that we are reaching that point.”
Kennedy said UAB Hospital is starting to see patients who contracted COVID while traveling or gathering for the Thanksgiving holiday. She urges people to avoid gathering for Christmas and New Years.
In Vermont, small town meetings grapple with debate on big issues
Typically concerned with local issues, residents at town meetings in Vermont and elsewhere increasingly use the forum to debate polarizing national and international events.
Alabama man, on death row since 1990, to get new trial
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to review the summer ruling from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The decision paves the way for Michael Sockwell to receive a new trial.
Supreme Court blocks redrawing of New York congressional map, dealing a win for GOP
At issue is the mid-term redrawing of New York's 11th congressional district, including Staten Island and a small part of Brooklyn.
U.S. states take steps to guard against any potential threat from Iran
Iran has made prior attempts to launch terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, but all have been thwarted in recent years. States are bracing for a heightened threat after the war.
Video of Clinton depositions in Epstein investigation released by House Republicans
Over hours of testimony, the Clintons both denied knowledge of Epstein's crimes prior to his pleading guilty in 2008 to state charges in Florida for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.
Some Middle East flights resume, but thousands of travelers are still stranded by war
Limited flights out of the Middle East resumed on Monday. But hundreds of thousands of travelers are still stranded in the region after attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel.
