The threat of respiratory diseases such as the flu, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and COVID-19 is intensifying, leading to hospitals and health systems wrestling with surging patient numbers. One state coming under particular pressure is New Hampshire, where hospitals are reaching almost full capacity, according to the New Hampshire Hospital Association.
Increasing demand, workforce shortages, and difficulties in discharging patients due to limitations in the long-term care and home care sectors are resulting in full hospital beds and bustling wards. These conditions compel patients to anticipate alterations in their hospital experience.
To roll with these evolving challenges, some hospitals have introduced modifications to their infection prevention protocols. These adaptations include requiring patients and visitors to don masks within particular patient care zones. According to NHHA President Steve Ahnen, data and relevant expert guidance are the foundation of this shift in mask usage in healthcare settings. The ultimate aim is to ensure that hospitals and health care facilities are secure platforms to deliver both routine and emergency care.
Moreover, the NHHA, along with its members, is advocating for continued adherence to elementary healthcare and hygiene practices such as proper handwashing. They also advise the public to keep up with their annual physical check-ups, maintain up-to-date vaccinations, and adhere to CDC guidelines. These include staying home when feeling unwell, seeking testing when experiencing symptoms, and wearing masks in crowded indoor locations to contain infection spreads.
While no single solution can fully mitigate the risk of infection, a cocktail of interventions, including masking, testing, and vaccination, can have a substantial effect on infection, hospitalization, and death rates. Despite the difficulties, Ahnen emphasizes that by working together with the tools, resources, and knowledge we have accumulated over the past years, we will pull through this health crisis.
This rise in hospital infections corresponds with the surge of a new COVID-19 variant called JN.1, which currently represents 21% of fresh cases in the US, according to the CDC. The L455S mutation present in JN.1 potentially makes it more elusive to immune responses. It first surfaced in the US in September and was initially responsible for 0.1% of COVID-19 transmissions. However, its ongoing and accelerating growth suggests it could be more transmissible, or more efficient at evading the immune system, raising fresh concerns for public health.