ICU availability worsens, further state assistance is a possibility some say

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Local leaders as well as state leaders have expressed concern over the lack of ICU beds as COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise.

There have been talks for the state to step in and provide additional resources for rural healthcare facilities.

“It’s everywhere. It’s not just Jackson. It’s everywhere,” said State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs.

State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs addressed questions about hospital overflow in Tuesday’s Zoom press conference.

He said the state has been in talks to provide additional resources to healthcare facilities– especially those in rural communities.

“Healthcare is an exhaustible resource, and people are going to die because they didn’t have access to that resource. It’s inevitable,” said Dobbs.

Winston County EMA Director Buddy King said his county is doing well in some areas but is strained in others.

“Supplies are not the issue now. Initially, they were. Just because there were not warehouses full of personal protective equipment but the need was there,” said King.

King said at the begging of the pandemic, it was hard to find an extra mask or even a pair of gloves.

“We have no shortages right now. No palpable shortages. We can handle the increase and keep our healthcare workers protected as well as the general community protected,” said King.

He said the main issue is falling on hospitals without ICUs, like Winston Medical Center– a facility that typically transfers its ICU patients.

“That hospital, which was never designed or staffed or equipped to be a critical care unit, takes on that role,” said King.

There have been rumors that the state could set up additional, make-shift, ICUs to ease the burden, but King said that’s easier said than done.

“I do believe that those factors are hard to replicate. Especially to find critical care trained healthcare providers. To find the critical care necessary support equipment to treat the patient as well as medication. There are so many… It’s such a different level of healthcare, that it’s difficult to replicate or stand up,” said King.

He said right now, our best hope is to continue to wear masks in public and remain socially distant.

“The way to control the spread of this virus is for people to limit their transportation, to limit their movement, to go back to that home-base involvement,” said King.

King said Winston County has a reserve of medical supplies, and so far, they haven’t had to dip into any of the reserves.