The surge in COVID cases is putting a strain on hospitals all across the U.S. – and right here in our own back yard:

That’s Dr. P.J. Lynn, ER Doctor and Chief of Staff at Floyd-Cherokee Medical Center.

Dr. Lynn was a guest on the Tuesday morning edition of “Live Well Cherokee”, and he discussed a number of issues including the situation medical providers are currently facing in regard to caring for as many people as possible – as quickly as they possibly can:

As of this morning (Tuesday) the Alabama Hospital Association stated that due to the rapidly rising number of COVID cases – which is being attributed to a low vaccination rate and the highly contagious Delta Variant – the state has a net of only two ICU beds

There are 1,562 staffed ICU beds and 1,560 patients in need of ICU care, which leaves Alabama hospitals with a net of two ICU beds.  The association is using the term “net” because one hospital may have a net negative of ICU beds, because it had to move ICU patients to another area of the hospital – and another hospital elsewhere could have more available ICU beds.

On Monday of this week, 2,634 patients were being treated for COVID-19 in Alabama hospitals – a figure near the peak of 3,084 COVID hospitalizations during the surge of cases seen in January of this year (2021).

Morning Show host Jerry Baker asked Dr. Lynn exactly what precautions were vitally important to take in order to protect yourself when entering a medical facility:

To hear that interview in its entirety, simply clock the link below:

Shawn Rogers – the Cherokee County Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency Director – informed WEIS Radio News that the county currently has 86 COVID cases.  He also, once again, stressed the importance of frequent hand washing with soap and water and maintaining the six foot rule of social distancing, in addition to the need for being vaccinated, as the vast majority of those suffering with COVID-19 are individuals who haven’t been vaccinated.