The hospital’s intensive care unit was at 190 percent capacity as of Aug. 12, Scott Harris, MD, state health officer for Alabama, said during an Aug. 20 COVID-19 briefing.
“Because our hospitals have been under such strain, we’ve been working on a number of plans to try to bring additional staff using federal resources,” Dr. Harris said.
The team includes a physician, two nurse practitioners or physician assistants, seven registered nurses, one licensed practical nurse and three paramedics, according to Dr. Harris.
“The hospital will have a lot of say over how those folks are being used,” Dr. Harris said, noting that, “it’s just a way of augmenting their capacity there.”
Dr. Harris said he hopes a second federal team will come to the state soon. He also mentioned the rising infection numbers among children. From Aug. 1 to Aug. 12, Alabama had 6,181 confirmed virus cases among residents 5-17 years, up from 1,356 during the same time period last year, according to data from the Alabama Department of Public Health.
Jamey Durham, director of the Bureau of Prevention, Promotion & Support at ADPH, said the department is consulting with the Alabama Hospital Association to determine which hospitals have the most critical needs. Federal teams sent to hospitals typically stay for two weeks, though the state can request extensions, Mr. Durham said.
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