As the number of Coronavirus cases continues to surge, many hospitals across the country are stretched to their limits, and as some of those medical facilities are close to home. In Ashland, Kings Daughters Hospital is beyond capacity and medical teams have converted alternate spaces in their facility into patient care units.
Governor Andy Beshear said it’s not only COVID patients who are being affected. “They are now using one of their lobbies as an overflow area because again they are seeing so many different folks that need help. This hospitalization is dangerous for everybody, not just those that get COVID. Remember if we fill up all our beds that person who comes in with a heart attack or with a major injury again it is harder for them to be seen. There are fewer people to see and to care about them.”
State public health commissioner Dr. Steven Stack shared simulated projections Wednesday that show how the compliance of restrictions decreases the spread of the virus. “These measures are likely to reduce substantially the number of people in hospitals and remember some of those people go in the ICU, some of those people are on ventilators. That has long term debilitating effects for folks. It’s not just a quick recovery after you’ve been on a ventilator for a few days or a week.”
The Governor has mandated that bars and restaurants be closed to indoor-dining does not anticipate extending those restrictions beyond December 13th but added that there will still be limitations. Currently, gyms are limited to 33% capacity and are not allowed to have group classes, event spaces are limited to 25 people and home gatherings should not be with more than two households and are limited to eight people. Schools also remain closed to in-person learning.