SAN ANTONIO – As vaccines for medical professionals and support staff are being rolled out nationwide, health officials are warning the public not to become lax with safety protocols that were put in place to slow the spread of Covid-19.
The number of coronavirus cases continues to surge, which means hospitals in our area are becoming more overwhelmed.
With routine drills underway, battling the pandemic is not new for Baptist Medical Center Pharmacy Operations Supervisor Support Kelsey Hamilton, but it is tiring.
“It’s tiring, it’s demanding. We saw the huge increase in July. We’re seeing it again,” Hamilton said. “We received our first COVID patient in February of 2020. So this is almost a year now.”
Though vaccines are being rolled out for medical professionals and support staff, health officials say the current situation inside hospitals across Bexar County is not only still dire, but worsening.
“It has been an increase and very stressful on the health care workers,” Hamilton said.
Methodist Hospital is also working to tackle overwhelming surges, releasing a statement that in part reads: “We have robust plans in place that allow us to increase capacity for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients as the demand occurs.”
Back over at Baptist, the increased numbers at times have required Hamilton to personally deliver medicine to patients. It’s an example of the teamwork she says she’s fortunate to experience amid the pressure.
“We do have a great team here that’s being able to manage through that,” Hamilton said.
Medical personnel countywide however, is still asking the public to help lighten the load.
“Unfortunately, you know, our hospital system, we don’t have an unlimited number of beds,” Hamilton said.
Because the vaccines are not a 1, 2 fix, health officials emphasizing the importance of continuing to adhere to safety guidelines such as wearing masks, frequent hand washing and social distancing. Tactics UT health officials we spoke to Tuesday say they will need to be in place at least until next fall.
