HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — Although the latest named variant of COVID-19, Omicron, hasn’t been officially detected in Ottawa or Allegan counties, health officials say it’s just a matter of time.
Already, the Delta-variant-driven surge is hitting area hospitals hard.
Holland Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Joe Bonello told WHTC patients are being intermittently diverted — sent to other hospitals — because of the flood of COVID-positive patients with severe symptoms filling the emergency room.
“Our diversion status is very dynamic because we are trying to minimize the amount of time that we spend on diversion,” he explained in an email to WHTC. “We go on diversion when we have to, and we come off as soon as we are able to accept more patients. There are also different levels of diversion. At times, we are only diverting critical care patients. That has been the case for the last 10 days because our ICU census is over capacity. At other times, we are on diversion for all ambulances except for those with laboring mothers.”
Bonello indicated Holland Hospital was off diversion as of 3 p.m. Saturday, but went back on diversion at 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. He offered the following tips:
- Protect yourself by getting vaccinated (including boosters), wearing a mask, and maintaining social distancing.
- Don’t go to the Emergency Department for non-emergent concerns.
- If you’re not feeling well, contact your primary care physician to discuss treatment options.
- If you are having an emergency, call 911.
- Get vaccinated
- Get vaccinated
- Get vaccinated
Bonello’s repeated appeal to people to get vaccinated is no error.
Vaccinations have become even more important with Omicron’s anticipated arrival. People who aren’t vaccinated at 10 times more likely to get that form of the virus, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control figures, and those who aren’t vaccinated but do get sick are 20 times more likely to die when the virus overwhelms the body’s organs.
Holland Hospital‘s dashboard, as of 9 a.m. Dec. 20, shows 30 people admitted with severe COVID-19 symptoms and 53 deaths since vaccines became available in March. Of those deaths, only three people had been vaccinated against the virus.
Of the 409 COVID-positive people admitted to all Spectrum Health hospitals, 11 are children; four of those children are in intensive-care units. Among adults, 122 were in ICUs and 276 were admitted but not in ICUs. Four Spectrum Health employees tested positive for COVID. Since the pandemic started, 6,382 of the Spectrum Health’s 18,000-plus employees have been infected with the virus.
Ottawa and Allegan counties’ health officials are expected to release updated figures later today as to how many people have tested positive from Saturday through Monday, and whether or not people have died since Friday, Dec. 17. So far, 615 Ottawa County residents have died after getting the coronavirus. In Allegan County, the most-recent figures show 257 people have died from the virus, since COVID-19 arrived in March, 2020.
For a list of where to get free vaccinations, visit vaccinatewestmi.com. Free, drive through tests are happening this week:
- 3 to 5 p.m. today, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021: Allegan High School, 1560 Lincoln Rd., in Allegan
- 1 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021: Allegan County Transportation Building, 750 Airway Drive, Allegan. This is sponsored by MDHHS and HONU Management Group. No appointment is necessary. Registration prior to event is highly encouraged.
Ottawa County’s testing events are also free:
Walk-in clinics
2 to 7 p.m. on the following Mondays: Dec. 20 and 27, 2021; as well as Jan. 3, 10, 17 and 24, 2022: Watermark Church, 13060 US-31 in Grand Haven.
10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursdays: Jan. 6, 13, 20 and 27: Hudsonville Health Department, 3100 Port Sheldon St. in Hudsonville.
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays: Holland GVSU Campus, 515 Waverly St. in Holland.
Drive through clinics
2 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays: Dec. 21, 2021 and Jan. 4 ,11, 18 and 25, 2021 at Church of the Saviour, 180 68th Ave N in Coopersville.
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