Opelousas General braces for 5th COVID surge, sees staffing woes
OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY) -- COVID-19 is surging again in Louisiana as Omicron is spreading. At Opelousas General Health System, they are bracing for the fifth surge.
Currently, there are ten COVID-positive patients in-house, three in the ICU.
Chief Population Officer, Tim Marks, explains "We are seeing around 90% that are unvaccinated."
Marks says they are seeing patients from all age groups.
"Over 70 is about 30%, 60-69 is about 30%, 50-59 is about 20%, 30-39 is about 10%, and 18-29 is about 10%," Marks adds.
From a staffing standpoint, he says the hospital has been hit hard.
He tells News 10 they have seen about 50 staff members out at one time due to positive cases or exposure.
Marks continues, "It is definitely a daily struggle to move things around. Through federal and state help, they have sent nursed and respiratory staff and that has helped."
He says recent staff vacancies are causing everyday operations to look a little different.
"That has limited the bed capacity and in doing so it forces us to look at routine procedures. Things that require in-patient stay, we are having to postpone those again," says Marks.