Alabama officials are requesting federal assistance as COVID related hospitalizations hit all-time highs, threatening hospital capacity and supplies of anti-viral treatments.

Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said staff members have made requests to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to determine the state’s needs should  case numbers continue to rise.  Federal officials can send teams made up of 32 healthcare workers to areas in need – Disaster Medical Assistance Teams have recently been sent to:  Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.

Dr. Harris said FEMA officials were in Alabama on Wednesday, in order to discuss the possibility of sending assistance.  Federal officials must approve the requests for any assistance by Alabama officials.  Dr. Don Williamson, President of the Alabama Hospital Association, said numbers of patients statewide, could exceed January highs within the next week.  

Experts are encouraging everyone to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and wear masks inside – even if they already got both shots; they also urged people with symptoms of COVID to seek help from medical providers.

If the situation gets worse hospitals won’t have beds to treat those who need medical care, and that could have serious repercussions across communities according to the president of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, who added that it could trigger restrictions similar to ones from Spring 2020, when the pandemic began.

(AL.COM/www.al.com)