TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — As the holidays come to an end, Tallahassee hospitals are seeing surges in COVID-19 positive patients.
In a statement, a Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare spokesperson said there are 48 COVID positive patients hospitalized at TMH, a dramatic increase over weeks prior.
This increase is the highest number they've seen since the summer, and it's only continuing to climb since the holidays, the statement said.
TMH has a dedicated nursing unit for COVID-19 patients, but in the event of a further surge, the statement said TMH has other areas of the hospital that can be used.
The statement goes on to say:
With hope recently arriving to Tallahassee in the form of the COVID-19 vaccine, now is not the time to let down our guard. The end of the pandemic is in sight and we're counting on our community to remain vigilant and continue practicing infection prevention measures, including frequent handwashing, mask wearing, social distancing and avoiding gatherings.
Across town at Capital Regional Medical Center, a spokesperson said they've also seen an increase in COVID-19 patients with a record number 61 as of Wednesday, January 6.
However, the spokesperson said they are operating under number conditions with enough bed capacity, staffing and supplies to care for all potential and current patients.
The statement goes on to say:
The COVID-19 vaccine rollout is a critical step in the fight against COVID-19, but we are asking the community to continue to follow CDC guidelines such as mask wearing, social distancing and proper hand hygiene. Dr. Jose Santana (pictured above), an ER physician who was recently one of the first clinicians at Capital Regional to receive the vaccine, encourages the community to remain vigilant in these practices even as the vaccine becomes more widely available. He shared that the vaccine is safe, effective and is a significant step in ending the pandemic.
