HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The news about the percentage of tested COVID-19 patients turning up positive was not what the County Commission or health officials wanted to hear. With the increase in the positive testing rate jumping from less than 3% to as much as 16% in some areas, many feel steps need to be taken — such as the mandated mask ordinance that is in place by the state.
If the numbers increase, it could start to put a strain on the healthcare system. Dr. Rex Degner with Hutchinson Regional Medical Center again emphasized, as many at the facility have during the pandemic, that right now they have more than enough space, but that also means keeping a close eye on neighboring counties.
“We have arrangements with other hospitals that we can offload some of our non-COVID patients if we need to and potentially some of our COVID patients,” Degner said. “Of course, if the entire state has a spike, then everybody’s in the same boat, but that’s a situation we watch across the state as well.”
Dr. Degner says they also have a good supply of available ventilators if needed.
“Worst case scenario, we can run up to 40 ventilators at one time with the . . . staff to do it,” Degner said. “We’re not there, but we have . . . capacity to handle this should we need to.”
Degner says they also are sitting well when it comes to supplies, although there is one item in short supply.
“N-95 masks, the most protective ones, we had a burn rate of 25 yesterday (Monday), but we have about 14,000 in-house,” Degner noted. “Regular masks . . . we had a burn rate of about 250 (Monday), we have about 45,900 on-hand.”
Degner says the only thing they are short of is gloves, but they are in the supply line. Degner says there are staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19 and others who are taking precautions by working from home.
“We have three out on observation, one awaiting results, and we have a dozen working from home still for various health reasons, but for right now, we seem to be OK,” Degner said. “It appears the few positive cases we’ve had on staff were probably community-acquired and not hospital-acquired.”
Degner says another problem with the virus is that it kept people with other non-COVID illnesses away from medical care.