Impacts of pandemic taking a toll on hospital

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Dear Editor,

As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rise in our community, I am deeply troubled as to what the future may bring unless we take action very soon.

Memorial Community Hospital and Health System is vital to this community. While we are continuing to do our best to protect both our healthcare workers and our patients, the impacts of this pandemic are taking a toll.

Hospital beds and intensive care units in the Metro are filling to capacity. Area hospitals and nursing homes are facing dire staffing shortages that endanger our ability to provide needed care. Our hospital staff is currently being stretched and pushed to new heights. The COVID-19 surge is upon us and everyone at our facility is greatly concerned. We have a loyal and dedicated team of men and women working here, but for a variety of reasons, they are getting taxed, both mentally and physically. Working in full personal protective equipment is not easy and can be extremely draining for our health care workers, however, it is necessary to protect their own health so that they can continue to care for our patients.

There is a limited supply of beds, staff and resources throughout the area and if the numbers of new infections don’t slow down, we’ll be faced with an increasingly difficult situation.

So, what’s next? It’s actually very simple.

Wear a mask, wash your hands frequently, maintain six feet of social distance and avoid the 3 Cs (crowded places, close contacts and confined spaces). These preventative measures are important and can significantly curb the spread.

With the holidays fast approaching, it’s even more important to do your part. By taking preventative actions now, we can protect our family and friends from this deadly virus.

I implore you as a resident of this community to help put an end to COVID-19 in Nebraska.

Sincerely,

Manuela Banner
President and CEO
Memorial Community Hospital and Health System