HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Regional Healthcare Systems President Ken Johnson issued a joint statement with the Hutchinson Clinic regarding the sudden surge of COVID cases in the area. The statement reads:
COVID-19 is surging locally, and as the leaders of the two largest healthcare providers in the region, we are asking the community for additional patience and diligence in battling this virus. We are all exhausted from dealing with the virus and its repercussions, but we have to lean in once again to lower the infection rates.
We are seeing the highest numbers of COVID patients of the pandemic right now in Reno County. Positive test results are up and COVID hospitalizations are at a higher rate than before. Our positive test rates are very high and nothing but careful attention to the ways we behave will bring them down.
Though we do not yet have a vaccine, we have common sense protections that we can rely on to bring the infection rate down.
Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth.
Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.
If you feel ill, don’t go out.
Avoid large groups, especially for prolonged periods. The more time you spend with people, the higher the likelihood of infection.
Get tested at one of the free test sites, even if you have no symptoms. The more people who test negative, the lower the positive rate will be. Our testing rate of the general public is too low.
If you do feel sick, please call your doctor. You should not fear about getting medical treatment at either of our facilities. At the Hutchinson Clinic, all patients are thoroughly screened for respiratory related symptoms and all possible COVID-19 cases are routed through our Rapid Response Respiratory Clinic, which is housed in a separate building.
At Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, we have special areas set up in the Emergency Department to protect patients from possible infection. COVID patients admitted to the hospital are treated in a separate, isolated unit. Patients in the ICU with COVID are in negative pressure rooms.
At both facilities, all precautions are being taken to protect you and our employees. This includes requiring masks for everyone inside, frequent facility cleaning, providing hand sanitizer throughout the buildings, and only necessary visitors are allowed to enter.
Our providers and staff put themselves at risk to care for you and we ask for your help in bringing the infection rates down. This is a serious situation and the hospital has seen a dramatic rise in the number of people coming in with COVID who need mechanical breathing assistance. The only way we can regain some control over this virus in our community is by adhering to these simple things that can help us do that.