GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — What's happening right now in Spectrum Health hospitals is the perfect storm, as the latest surge of COVID-19 patients is lasting longer and more people are being admitted for other reasons, as well.
There are currently more than 1,100 patients in all three Spectrum Health hospitals, including Blodgett, Butterworth and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joshua Kooistra describes Wednesday, Nov. 10 as the health system's busiest day yet.
"Our hospital is the fullest that it's ever been," Dr. Kooistra says.
Of those patients, 272 have COVID-19. 15 of them are children, which is a record high during the pandemic.
"This surge kind of got off to a slower start, but the numbers continue to increase every day. And it's been protracted," Dr. Kooistra says. "So, we've been experienced this surge for the last, you know, two and a half, three months, and we're at the highest that we've been in that point in time."
85 percent of all COVID-19 patients did not get the vaccine. There are 64 patients in the ICU, and 94 percent of them are unvaccinated. Out of the 42 patients are on ventilators, only two are vaccinated.
"Our unvaccinated patients are largely younger and healthier patients. And those that are having breakthrough infections that have been vaccinated are largely older and patients that have underlying comorbidities, whether it be obesity, or high blood pressure or diabetes, other conditions that set them up for more serious illness at baseline," Dr. Kooistra says.
He says this is a statewide trend that he's noticed, and there's been a return and an increase of people coming to the hospital for other reasons, too.
"Of all the care we typically provide, so heart attacks, strokes, uncontrolled blood pressures, things that we would hospitalized patients for before, we're seeing increased volumes," Dr. Kooistra says. "And I don't know why."
He says the hospital system saw a spike in RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, last week. While that's trending downwards, Dr. Kooistra says there are other respiratory illnesses, some seasonal, are affecting children right now.
"We are seeing very high volumes in our emergency departments," he says. "Yesterday, we saw 274 children at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital emergency department, which is the most we've ever seen."
The health system is delaying some elective surgeries because they need to reserve beds for those who might need them. Dr. Kooistra is encouraging everyone to have patience when visiting the hospital, as they try to take care of everyone the best they can.
He is urging everyone to consider getting the vaccine if they haven't already to protect themselves from COVID-19.
"We see young patients in our hospital that are suffering from COVID and getting worse, and they are second guessing their decisions," Dr. Kooistra says. "And I want everybody to have that opportunity before they get sick."
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