Geisinger was caring for 291 COVID-19 patients at its nine hospitals on Wednesday, nearly 40 more than a week ago.
“Last year we thought things were bad, and we’re about two weeks ahead of the trend we had last year,” said Dr. Gerald Maloney, chief medical officer for the Montour County-based system.
Last year’s surge, which began after Thanksgiving and continued into January, severely strained hospitals and staffs throughout Pennsylvania.
Penn State Health and WellSpan Health also reported substantial increases in COVID-19 patients on Wednesday. Penn State Health was caring for 156 COVID-19 patients at its four hospitals, 21 more than at the beginning of the week.
WellSpan was caring for about 300, well over half the level of its previous peak.
Spokesman Ryan Coyle said WellSpan has made assorted changes including delaying some non-emergency care “to manage the volume and severity of this situation.”
Geisinger’s Maloney said it’s too soon to know if the newest patients became infected at Thanksgiving gatherings.
It’s possible staff shortages would make it harder for hospitals to handle a repeat of last year’s surge. At a state House committee hearing on Wednesday, a Penn State Health official said the system has a deficit of more than 400 nurses, WGAL reported.
The state health department on Wednesday reported 7,606 new COVID-19 infections, the highest one-day count since January.
The number hospitalized, 3,939 is also the highest in nearly a year. Hospitalizations peaked in Pennsylvania at about 6,100 late last year.
Maloney noted the volume of non-COVID-19 patients was down a year ago for reasons including people putting off care. Now things are much closer to normal, meaning fewer staffers can be shifted toward caring for COVID-19 patients.
“From a capacity standpoint, we’re very concerned,” he said. “We have a very tight [intensive care unit] situation. And car accidents keep occurring. Heart attacks and strokes keep occurring, all the things people need the ICU for, and none of that has stopped.”
Maloney said the impact of COVID-19 patients on care available to other patients is something unvaccinated people should think about and which hopefully will sway them toward getting vaccinated.
He said 88% of COVID-19 patients at Geisinger are unvaccinated. WellSpan cited the same percentage, and added that 92% of its ICU patients are unvaccinated.
Penn State Health also posted updated numbers Wednesday showing a strong majority of its COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated.
For example, at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Dauphin County, 49 adults and 4 pediatric COVID-19 patients were less than fully vaccinated, including 19 intensive care patients and 12 on breathing ventilators. That compared to 16 fully vaccinated patients, with four in intensive care and one on a ventilator.
Maloney and others on Wednesday pleaded with people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Since cases began surging in Pennsylvania again in early July due to the more contagious delta variant, many doctors have predicted rising numbers of vaccinated people, combined with others who have some immunity due to being infected, will prevent a repeat of last winter’s surge.
But Maloney on Wednesday said he fear’s “they’re not being realistic based on what we’re seeing in real-time.”
He stressed that with about 69% of Pennsylvania adults fully vaccinated, there are still lots of unvaccinated people vulnerable to becoming ill with COVID-19.
He further worries lapses in face masking wearing and social distancing are helping to fuel the latest surge.
“If I went into Walmart last Dec. 1, everyone was wearing a mask. If I went into Walmart on my way home from work tonight, there’s a darn good chance that, except for workers, I’m going to be the only customer wearing a mask,” Maloney said.
He said that “cancels out a lot of the benefits” of having so many people vaccinated.