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Marin is getting hit by a trifecta of respiratory viruses, stressing the capacities of the county’s hospitals to a stage not seen because the peak of the COVID-19 surges.
“The emergency departments in our hospitals have primarily been performing at most capability for the previous week or so,” mentioned Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County’s public well being officer.
Willis mentioned there was a a lot greater variety of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus circumstances than regular for this time of 12 months. The variety of COVID-19 circumstances has additionally begun to rise.
A flood of latest sufferers is simply a part of the issue.
“There are staffing shortages in nearly all branches of the well being care system, together with a few of our expert nursing services,” Willis mentioned. “Proper now we’re challenged to even keep regular staffing ranges, a lot much less with the ability to improve staffing to match the demand.”
Marin has three predominant hospitals: MarinHealth Medical Middle in Greenbrae; Novato Neighborhood Hospital, which is operated by Sutter Well being; and Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Middle. Each Novato Neighborhood and Kaiser have needed to switch sufferers to facilities of their networks which are exterior Marin.
Additionally, a rise in sickness among the many employees of native expert nursing facilities has delayed the return of aged sufferers to those websites following hospital remedy, inflicting additional backup at hospitals.
One other concern is a possible scarcity of Tamiflu, the drug that treats flu infections. County well being officers have acquired stories that provides of the drug are operating low in different elements of the state. It would should be used sparingly to make sure a provide for these at highest threat. Nationwide stockpiles maintained by the federal authorities may should be tapped if demand continues to rise.
“My hope is that when folks perceive that their well being system is below stress that they’ll do their half,” Willis mentioned.
Willis is urging residents to keep away from going to emergency rooms if their medical situation may be dealt with by visiting an outpatient clinic or looking for recommendation over the phone. He additionally urges anybody who hasn’t been vaccinated for the flu, or wants a COVID-19 vaccination or booster, to behave now.
“Influenza vaccination charges are means too low proper now relative to the chance,” Willis mentioned.
Solely about half of Marin residents who’re eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine booster have acquired one. Native information present that receiving the up to date booster cuts the chance of being hospitalized in half. Nobody in Marin who has acquired the up to date booster has died from COVID-19.
“Our neighborhood ought to know that our native well being care system is being pressured by preventable infections,” mentioned Dr. Melanie Thompson, chief medical officer for Marin Neighborhood Clinics. “We hope this can lead folks to make protected selections as we come into the guts of the vacations.”
Of the three respiratory viruses threatening Marin, flu is the largest menace. On Friday, there have been 12 sufferers hospitalized in Marin due to COVID-19 whereas there have been 15 hospitalized due to flu. Three folks have been within the hospital due to respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
Whereas the variety of pediatric RSV circumstances seems to be coming down, detection of all three viruses in native wastewater is constant to rise, portending extra infections. The quantity of COVID-19 virus in Marin wastewater elevated 16% over the earlier week.
On Thursday, there have been 105 new COVID-19 circumstances reported in Marin, essentially the most in a single day since July.
On Friday, San Anselmo introduced it was canceling a “breakfast with Santa” occasion scheduled for Saturday due to the tripledemic. Willis mentioned that whereas taking such steps is cheap, he isn’t considering reimposing any new masks mandates or different preventive measures.
“At this level 2-½ years into the pandemic, our public understands the advantage of masking for stopping an infection,” he mentioned. “I believe we do higher after we can operate in an surroundings of selection.”
However, Willis recommends that individuals take care earlier than gathering with family and friends over the approaching holidays. He mentioned that along with being totally vaccinated for flu and COVID-19, it’s a good suggestion for anybody experiencing chilly signs to isolate and for everybody attending a gathering to check for COVID-19 the day of the occasion.
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