COVID Warning: King’s Daughters Hospital At Capacity.
King’s Daughters Hospital in Ashland, Kentucky is at capacity, and CEO Kristie Whitlatch issued a dire warning about COVID. The hospital, which also serves Southern Ohio and Western West Virginia, is filling up fast. That prompted Whitlach to appeal to the public.”Today, I’m writing to you with a sense of urgency and am asking for your assistance and cooperation.”
The hospital head said it was her goal to be transparent to build trust with the community she served. “I am asking you to trust me as I ask for your cooperation as COVID is intensely surging in our communities.”
Hospital At Capacity
While COVID is generally thought to be hit those with underlying health issues and nursing home residents the hardest, she said that’s no longer the case.”It is attacking babies, children, and healthy, active men and women who have no idea how they were exposed.”
Whitlach said that unlike the flu, it can take an incredibly long time to get over COVID-19. “We are also seeing difficult recoveries, many taking months to fully recover and some who have yet to fully recover and may see the impact for the rest of their lives.” Infectious disease experts and other medical personnel are said to be “very concerned” about the spread of COVID in the tri-state area.
Echoing a sentiment often repeated by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Whitlach said, “Not in some big city but our hometowns. At King’s Daughters, our numbers and trend lines are continuing to surge upward. We have had 22 COVID related deaths to date and over 120 new positive cases just this week.”
Of greatest concern, Whitlach said King’s Daughters is at capacity. “We are working to open a third nursing unit to care for COVID patients. Multiple nursing units dedicated to one virus are unprecedented in our 120-year history. Many of these patients are very ill and many of our physicians, nurses, and support team have been struck by the virus. I understand people have differing opinions, but we know for a fact it is dangerous and deadly because we live it every day. We must take this seriously.”
Concerns about hospitals overflowing with COVID-19 patients and leaving no room to treat other serious illnesses ran high at the beginning of the pandemic. However, in the U.S. it hasn’t proved to be a widespread problem outside of big-city hotspots — until now.
Masks and Prayers
With the hospital at capacity due to COVID, Whitlach called on local residents to follow these often-repeated basic steps to stop the surge of COVID:
1. Wear a mask in public.
2. Practice social distancing.
3. Stay at home as much as possible.
4. Avoid gatherings.
5. Wash your hands.
In addition to practicing social distancing, the hospital CEO also asked people to keep medical professionals in mind. “I also ask for your prayers and/or words of encouragement for our heroes behind the masks. However, today I would add these heroes are not just our team members or other medical professionals. If you are wearing your mask and following the other guidelines you are our heroes too. By following the simple guidelines above, you can help stop the surge.”