Philly hospitals react to COVID-19 surge by canceling procedures, tightening visitor policies
Health care staff shortages and near-capacity COVID-19 units are straining Philadelphia area hospitals even as they prepare for a bigger wave of cases following the holiday season.
Some hospitals have begun canceling non-urgent procedures to reserve their depleted staff for critically ill patients, while others have tightened visiting policies that had loosened during the summer.
Inside hospitals, workers described scenes dramatically different from just a few weeks ago. Most hospitalized patients are unvaccinated. But workers are also seeing people who were vaccinated against COVID-19 — but not boosted — filling beds faster than the hospital can discharge patients who’ve recovered.
While the vaccines and a variant that seems to make people less sick offer some hope, hospital workers said they are bracing for things to get worse before they get better.
Read more: https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus/philly-hospitals-covid-surge-cancel-surgeries-20220104.html