Those not vaccinated for COVID-19 are backing up the health care system. That from Bryan Health’s Vice President for Advancement Bob Ravenscroft who says the unvaccinated population continues to occupy beds at an unsustainable rate.
Ravenscroft says, “Out of our 542 patients there are eleven borders in our E.D. and 30 patients in our observation units. There are not beds to move them too yet so that will start a wait list yet today.”
Ravenscroft says it is backing things up . Last week they had 29 Nebraskans in small regional hospitals needing transfer. Some were very serious cases. There is a house supervisor on the other end of those calls who decides who comes in one bed at a time.
Health officials are also learning more about the COVID-19 variant omicron that infected six people in southeast Nebraska last week. Bryan Health Infection Prevention Director Dr. Jim Nora says, “We do know there appears to be a reduced incubation period, down to about as short of a couple of days.” He says further studies will be need to verify the finding. One of those infected was vaccinated and had a shorter duration of the illness.
Dr. Nora is also pleased with another tool in the fight against COVID-19. Nora says the FDA just approved tixagevimab cilgavimab, or Evushield manufactured by AstraZeneca. This is for those who cannot get the vaccine due to medical reasons or had a severe reaction to their first dose. He says, “It is the first prep monoclonal antibody we have. This is for pre-exposure prophylaxis. This is for individuals who are at high risk of not doing well against the vaccine.”
A person will need to get an injection every six months and provide passive immunity with 70% protection against severe illness. It is not immediately available and it will take a few weeks to wind through the system.
Bryan Health Pediatrician Dr. Sian Jones-Jobst is urging more parents to have their children vaccinated, even if they have already had COVID-19. Jones-Jobst says the vaccination provides much more protection against the virus. She says, “They don’t necessarily get the same levels on neutralizing antibody and memory to infection as they do to targeted immunity through a vaccine.”
Jones-Jobst says their pediatric clinics administered about 1,000 tests last month with a positivity rate above 15%. She says COVID-19 does infect children and it can cause complications and long term problems. More that 19.3 million children ages 5 to 11 have received the 1st dose nationwide and about 1.9million have received their second dose and are doing well.