JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Nurses in Mississippi are speaking out about the conditions inside the COVID-stricken health system. At St. Dominic, one nurse is pleading for people to do their part as spaces in the hospital continue to fill up.
To ease the strain on healthcare facilities, hospitals like St. Dominic introduced a COVID screening tent on Friday in an effort to triage patients presenting symptoms. Nursing Supervisor Adelia Logan said St. Dominic Hospital is full.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the two-dose Pfizer vaccine earlier this week.
“We have yet to see the impacts of that, but most of our patients are coming in are not vaccinated,” said Logan.
The third COVID-19 booster shot that’s been advised for high-risk groups has been well received at the hospital.
Robert Weathersby, a director of clinical outreach at St. Dominic Hospital, said, “We’re getting a ton of calls from individuals both who qualify and who are eager to receive that third booster dose.”
Since early April, half of the 600 hospitalized at St. Dominic have also had hypertension, according to health officials.
“Just asking the community to do their part to help us cut down on influx of patients that are coming in and being seen and treated,” said Logan.