IU Health stays on alert for COVID-19 surge
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — IU Health care providers say they have a much better handle on the coronavirus pandemic than they did when central Indiana first began to see its impact.
But, the health care providers still fear being overwhelmed again in the near future.
IU Health Methodist Hospital at one point had six or seven full COVID-19 units. On Wednesday, they had have a handful of patients between only a couple units.
But, the virus isn’t over.
IU Health says after four months of fighting a pandemic, they’re finally falling into a routine.
“People adapted to that,” said Tracy Davis, a clinical manager. “They know how to take care of those patients, so that is now part of our world.”
A far cry from April when there was very little information.
“Basically flying an airplane while you’re building it,” Davis said. “It was so much information and it was changing very rapidly.”
The stresses got worse for staff’s personal lives, Taryna Bradley told us in April.
“My kids are little, and they just don’t understand why I’m under stress and why mommy’s crying and why they can’t give me hugs as soon as I walk through the door,” Bradley said.
IU Health said they were preparing for the worst every day. But, little by little, virus patients went home and units emptied.
“I think we’re all hopeful that the worst is behind us,” Dr. Warren Gavin said. “Can anybody be sure that that’s the case? No. I think a lot of providers are weary that there could be another spike in the number of cases.”
IU Health employees say with school resuming, high-case days in other states, and loose restrictions, many fear there won’t be an end to this wave of the virus.
“When you look, as a nation, we’ve never made it out of the first wave,” Davis said. “We are knee-deep in the first wave.”
Even though Methodist is in a routine, its health care providers are constantly reminded that the virus is still here and could surge again.
“There has not been a day since March 13 that we have not had COVID patients in our hospital,” Davis said. “That is a staggering thing to think about.”
IU Health wants to extend that reminder to everyone so it can hopefully prevent hospitals returning to the full wards of the spring.
“It is still here,” Gavin said. “This is not over with. Even if the number of hospitalizations have decreased, we still need to take the proper recommended precautions to deal with it.”
Those precautions mean wearing a mask and staying socially distant. They say just because things are opening up, doesn’t mean you have to go out.