COVID fatigue sets in as PA officials urge diligence
PHILADELPHIA - The catch phrase when COVID-19 first hit was flatten the curve. The goal was to keep the medical system from completely collapsing.
Once again, health officials are begging everyone to flatten the curve and keep people healthy and out of the hospital.
“Like waves on a shore, it just keeps coming,” stated Maureen Casey, an R.N. at Hershey Medical Center.
FULL COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS
Fatigue in a fight that’s far from over, Hershey Medical Center Registered nurse Maureen Casey says simply, her colleagues are tired and the hospital quickly becoming overrun.
“Nurses go home and cry in their cars, cry in the shower, because of the desperation and exhaustion they feel. As a nurse, we just have one simple ask – please wear a mask,” Nurse Casey remarked.
It’s a request that state leaders continue to reiterate as a second surge of coronavirus intensifies fast, Pennsylvania patients filling ICU beds at a rapid pace.
“This is a significant challenge for our healthcare system in Pennsylvania and one that our healthcare system has never faced before,” Pa. Secretary of Health Doctor Rachel Levine said.
Daily COVID-19 case counts are more than six times higher compared to those of last spring, according to Dr. Levine.
“At our highest, we had approximately 2,000 cases and on Saturday, we had 12,700 new cases a day,” Dr. Levine explained.
The only encouraging news is a vaccine appears to be on the horizon. In the United Kingdom, 800,000doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are expected to be ready Tuesday. The UK is the first country to authorize emergency use of this particular vaccine. While the United States awaits approval, Pennsylvania health officials are strongly encouraging people to do their part and simply get a flu shot.
“We cannot afford to have a flu epidemic in Pennsylvania in the middle of this global pandemic,” Ray Barishansky, with the Pa. Dept. of Health, stated.
“Each and every one of us has to take this seriously,” Governor Wolf added.
___
RELATED STORIES:
Coronavirus Restrictions: What you need to know in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware
Pennsylvania adds nearly 15,000 new coronavirus cases over the weekend
Masks added to Philadelphia murals as part of #MaskUpPHL campaign
Pennsylvania expands virus app to school-age phone users
___
For the latest local news, sports and weather, download the FOX 29 News app.
DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP
Sign up for emails from FOX 29, including our daily Good Day Digest