Local healthcare workers describe latest COVID surge: ‘It’s very much a war mentality’
It could have been a scene from 2020.
Church members gathered outside Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital holding signs that read things like “You’re awesome,” and “Thank you for everything,” as doctors, nurses and other hospital staff approached or exited the hospital during their shift change. The hospital system has been pushed past 100% capacity by the most recent surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations spurred largely by the unvaccinated population.
“It’s very much a war mentality, I think in some ways,” said Dr. Luis Chastain, a family medicine doctor at Tidelands who attended the vigil to support his fellow healthcare workers. “The brothers and sisters that are beside you in these trenches are doing everything they can. And that’s what carries you through.”
Doctors, nurses and techs described a grim scene inside hospital walls as they begged people to get vaccinated. Horry and Georgetown counties have some of the highest vaccination rates in the state, with about 43% of the total population in each county fully vaccinated, but healthcare experts say it’s not enough to reach the coveted “herd immunity” level that hovers between 70-80% of the population immunized.
‘We thought a lot of the worst was behind us’
In recent weeks, hospitalizations have spiked. As of Monday, only 19 hospital beds were available across Georgetown County and 52 beds in Horry County, according to data from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Georgetown County has reported 235 new COVID-19 cases in the last seven days, while Horry County has added 1,927 cases in the same time period, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Some healthcare workers described a situation they thought could have largely been avoided with higher vaccination rates, and looked back on a time when infection rates were down and hospitals were only dealing with single-digit inpatient COVID-19 cases earlier this summer.
“We didn’t really anticipate, we thought a lot of the worst was behind us this summer,” Chastain said.
‘We want them to know that they’re not alone’
A group of masked church members stood outside the hospital doors Tuesday night, handing out snacks and praying for the healthcare workers. Dan Hager, minister at Georgetown Church of Christ, said he planned the vigil to show healthcare workers they still had support behind them, even nearly 18 months into the pandemic.
“None of us wanted to be back where we are with the pandemic right now,” Hager said. “For our healthcare workers who sacrificed so much to get us through it before, it especially hurts. So we want them to know that they’re not alone.”
When speaking about how they feel heading in for their shift during yet another spike in hospitalizations, the workers largely agree on how to describe it. They simply feel tired, they said.
“You just don’t know what to expect,” said Linda Brown, who works on the nurse and resource team. “I pray before I go in there.”
She added: “We love y’all, but it’s overwhelming to us.”
This story was originally published August 25, 2021 at 10:34 AM.
