Phoebe’s Covid-19 ebb?
Health system reports lowest numbers in nearly 4 months
ALBANY, GA – As of Friday morning, these were Phoebe’s COVID-19 numbers:
- Total COVID-19 Patients in Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital – 10
- Total COVID-19 Patients in Phoebe Sumter Medical Center – 0
- Total COVID-19 Patients in Phoebe Worth Medical Center – 0
- Total Inpatients Recovered – 4,284
- Total Positive Deaths from Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital – 457
- Total Positive Deaths from Phoebe Sumter – 124
- Total Positive Deaths from Phoebe Worth – 1
- Total Vaccines Administered – 79,212
Phoebe’s number of COVID-19 patients today represents a decrease of 95% since the omicron surge peak in late January and a 33% decrease in the last week.
“Today, we are caring for only 10 COVID-19 patients in our health system. We haven’t seen a number that low since early December before the omicron surge began, and we hope that number will continue to decline” said Scott Steiner, Phoebe Putney Health System President & CEO. “The CDC recently highlighted additional studies that show booster shots are effective and are your best protection against serious illness from COVID. Though transmission is low now, an uptick could be around the corner, so we encourage people to get vaccinated and boosted,” he added.
Experts say an increase in COVID-19 cases in the US is likely due to an omicron subvariant that is becoming more prevalent, but they do not expect another large spike because the level of immunity is higher than ever now, due to vaccinations and the winter outbreak of the omicron variant.
“With wider availability of COVID-19 treatments, we are hopeful that – even if we do have another surge in cases – we will not see as many patients who need to be hospitalized. While antiviral pills are still only available at a limited number of pharmacies right now, we expect that to change in the near future. As soon as hospitals are eligible to receive the pills, we will procure a supply to help ensure COVID patients who need the medication are able to have quick and easy access,” said Dianna Grant, MD, Phoebe Putney Health System Chief Medical Officer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends individuals who have not been vaccinated – even those who have been treated for COVID – get vaccinated. Phoebe recommends and provides COVID vaccines 35 days after an individual receives the first dose of a COVID-19 antiviral pill.
Phoebe continues to offer monoclonal antibody therapy for certain patients, but there is currently little demand for that treatment because of lower case levels and greater supply of the antiviral pills.
