Prisma Health sees slight uptick in hospitalizations, urges people to stay diligent against COVID-19

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Prisma Health is starting to see an uptick in the number of people being hospitalized due to COVID-19. Physicians say the number is only a third of the peak they recorded during the summer, but that people should still stay diligent.

Even though South Carolina isn’t seeing thousands of new COVID-19 cases a day like in July, doctors are growing more concerned that the winter months, as well as more people growing tired of wearing masks and social distancing, could lead to more hospital beds filling up.

“It’ll take us another cycle, another winter, another spring to get through this, and if we continue to tire of taking preventative measures, then we run the risk of seeing these numbers rise significantly again, and we just don’t need that this year,” said Dr. Wendell James, the Chief Clinical Officer for Prisma Health-Upstate.

Doctors say waiting in line to vote, and coming around the table to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas could potentially become super-spreading events.

Dr. Eric Ossmann with Prisma Health’s Department of Emergency Medicine says you can still celebrate, but to do so safely.

“This is clearly a disease that spreads from person-to-person, as is particularly susceptible to spread when groups of people get together. Everyone in the state can do their part and decrease the amount of spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Ossmann.

Another factor that could lead to a spike in hospitalizations is the looming flu season.

To combat this, Prisma has been offering flu shots at several locations across the Midlands and Upstate. 

Doctors said this past flu season came to a close around the same time COVID-19 entered the picture, but evidence on the other side of the globe suggest implementing similar COVID-19 preventative measures (mask wearing, social distancing) have a strong effect at keeping the flu at bay.

“This virus is still very, very prevalent in our community, and we need to keep masking, washing our hands, and, for goodness sakes, if you’re feeling sick, stay home and get tested,” Dr. James said.

As of today, South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) reported that 8,468 inpatient hospital beds are currently occupied (83% of all beds in the state), but only 743 are filled by COVID-19 patients. Of those 743 patients, 197 are in intensive care, and 98 are on ventilators.

Hospitals in both Lexington and Richland County currently have more than 85% of their beds currently filled (though not all of those patients have COVID-19), according to DHEC.