For several years, the life-force of Dr. Benjamin Chan was consumed by COVID-19. His role was wholly devoted to the novel coronavirus – from painstakingly tracing virus spread, crafting guidelines, keeping abreast with the latest scientific developments, to communicating these vital progressions. Now, life is gradually reverting to a semblance of the former routine for New Hampshire’s state epidemiologist. He mentions that he has finally been able to reconnect with some of the routine public health tasks, which had been set aside due to the urgency of the pandemic situation. Yet, he cautions that despite its lesser visibility these days, coronavirus is still prevalent.
In mid-July, there was a minor increase in COVID-19 hospital admissions, both within the borders of New Hampshire and across the nation. However, these figures remain substantially below those seen at the peak of the pandemic. Statistical data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that about 50 people were hospitalized with the disease in New Hampshire in the week of August 12. This figure represents a 50% reduction from the same period last year.
Even so, hospitals in New Hampshire are bracing themselves for a potentially busy fall as COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses such as flu and RSV are expected to resurface, in line with their usual seasonal patterns.
Dr. Michael Calderwood, an infectious disease physician and chief quality officer at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center adds that mitigation efforts carried out during the first wave of the pandemic, such as masking and social distancing, inadvertently suppressed exposure to viruses such as flu and RSV. Consequently, this has led to a drop in population immunity to these diseases. Calderwood anticipates an inevitable surge of these illnesses, albeit not as severe as last year.
In preparation for this, Ashley Conley, the director of infection prevention at Catholic Medical Center, has indicated the proactive steps the hospital is taking to prepare against a potential influx of outpatient and emergency department visits, stocking up on vaccines and personal protective equipment.
Similar readiness is reported at Elliot Hospital, where efforts are dedicated to directing patients to appropriate care and averting unnecessary burden on the emergency department. In addition to implementing improved infection-control measures, the hospital also plans to escalate testing for flu, COVID, and RSV, along with promoting the use of virtual appointments.
Collaboration between hospitals to balance patient care services were crucial during last year’s RSV surge, notes Chief Medical Officer Kevin Desrosiers. The continuation of such cooperative efforts is echoed by Steve Ahnen, who leads the New Hampshire Hospital Association.
As the healthcare infrastructure readies itself, medical professionals urge the importance of vaccination to individually safeguard oneself and collectively reduce the strain on the healthcare system. COVID-19 boosters and flu shots are suggested, with tools against RSV also available following the FDA approval of the first RSV vaccines for adults above 60, an RSV monoclonal antibody treatment for enhancing RSV immunity in toddlers and infants, and notably, an RSV vaccine for use in expectant individuals.
Source: https://www.vnews.com/New-Hampshire-hospitals-gear-up-for-another-season-of-flu-COVID-and-RSV-52104060