CHARLOTTE, NC (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) – Déjà Vu is how a Charlotte doctor describes the current hospital surge in COVID cases.
Dr. Sid Fletcher, Chief Clinical Officer for Novant Health for the Charlotte market, says the numbers have gone up pretty rapidly over the past couple of months.
The doctor says locally Novant has seen about a 300-400% increase in the number of patients admitted to the hospital on a daily basis compared with June, but the doctor says it’s not close to the peak of the pandemic numbers in January.
Dr. Fletcher says Novant on a local level is currently seeing about half the number of COVID-related ICU cases and hospitalizations compared with January.
The average age of hospitalized COVID patients has dropped from 61 years old to 44, and more than 90% are unvaccinated.
The doctor says they have enough beds and staffing now, but that staffing could be an issue as the pandemic surges on.
“Our bigger risk issue is our people, that’s an area that’s more challenging, we can add travelers, we can have non-bedside nurses come back at least as helping hands, but I think that’s our bigger issue really than it is our physical capabilities,” said Dr. Fletcher.
Novant is not seeing a lot of children hospitalized. The doctor says they’re operating this summer at a rate like they would during a busy winter flu season.
