Baxter Regional Medical Center (BRMC) has announced it currently has 15 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as the area continues to see a rise in cases.
Only one of the 15 patients hospitalized had been previously vaccinated before contracting COVID-19.
Stephanie Free, Infection Preventionist at Baxter Regional Medical Center, says “Based on these numbers, it is clear to us here at Baxter Regional that the COVID-19 vaccine is effective in protecting against current strains of COVID-19.”
The facility says it has not reopened it’s COVID unit in the hospital.
According to a BRMC news release, “At this time, Baxter Regional has not considered this current rise in cases enough to justify reopening a COVID Unit within the Hospital. Instead, COVID patients are treated in single-patient, negative pressure rooms for the safety of staff, patients and visitors.”
During the initial COVID-19 pandemic, BRMC transformed an Overflow Unit within the hospital into a functional COVID Unit to isolate COVID patients. This Overflow Unit has since returned to seeing a variety of patients during high hospital census. As of Wednesday, Baxter Regional’s inpatient census was at 169, with 15 being COVID patients.
With the Fourth of July holiday fast approaching, Baxter Regional urges that the community exercise caution when celebrating.
“Please remember to wash your hands, wear a mask and get vaccinated,” the release says. “The Baxter Regional Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease Clinic is still offering the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to people ages 12 and older.”
To request a vaccine appointment, call (870) 508-7450 during office hours, Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or Friday, 8 a.m.-noon.
For more information on the vaccine and for regular updates on COVID-19, visit www.baxterregional.org/coronavirus.
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