Record COVID Patients Creating Challenges

In the Shoals, Helen Keller Hospital is expanding its COVID unit to tend to their highest number of coronavirus patients ever.

Takes us to the shoals.

Helen keller hospital told us they are caring for the highest number of coronavirus patients ever.

Waay31's breken terry spoke with the hosptial about how it's expanded its covid unit to care for more people, breken?

The hospital told me it's up to having 44 people in it's covid unit that now takes over the entire 4th floor of the hospital and some of the third floor.

Helen keller hosptial president kyle buchanan said their fluxuating covid unit changes by the hour going from less patients to more at the drop of a hat.

He said they knew they'd see an increase after thanksgiving and prepared to expand the covid unit, have more nurses on staff, and get more ventilators.

Fortunately we've been able to accommodate that within our walls and have been able to keep the covid patients in a contained unit but now that unit encompasses some of the third floor so we have barriers in place we move and adjust to handle the volume on an hour by hour basis buchanan said they haven't had to use any of the extra ventilators yet and that's a bit of good news.

He said if the number of patients continue to rise they have other plans to be prepared to handle the influx.

Live in the shoals bt waay31.