Local hospital treating patients in ER waiting room as staff juggle COVID-19 patients

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Florida hospitals continue juggling COVID-19 patients as the Delta variant grips the nation. The Florida Hospital Association reported 16,973 patients being treated in hospitals for COVID-19 as of Thursday afternoon.

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The association also predicts three-quarters of Florida hospitals will face critical staff shortages in the coming weeks.

Like many, UF Health is bursting at the seams. Dr. Chirag Patel says everyone who needs help is treated, but some are being treated in the waiting room and not in a bed.

Action News Jax first introduced you to Donald “Frue” McAvoy in July. Unvaccinated, he found himself in the hospital fighting for his life after he caught COVID-19.

Forever grateful to the doctors and nurses who treated him, he’s got a new lease on life.

Meanwhile, Patel is asking the community to only use hospitals for emergencies. And if you’ve got upcoming surgeries, he says you may have to wait.

“Your knee replacement is going to be put off for three months, or your cancer surgery may be delayed for a while until we get through this surge. That access to care may eventually be delayed,” Patel explained.

That was the case for a viewer on Twitter. She told Action News Jax her husband’s carpal tunnel surgery was canceled a week ago.

Patel says all local hospitals are doing their best to treat patients, but only so much can be done.

“A big concern of mine is the ability that the healthcare system has in all COVID hot spots across the country to be able to sustain that,” he said.

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UF Health reports 206 COVID-19 patients with 60 in the ICU. Flagler Health reports 100 COVID-19 patients with 22 in the ICU. Ascension St. Vincent’s reports 366 patients with COVID-19 and 132 in ICU. And Baptist Health and Wolfson Children’s Hospital reports 525 COVID-19 patients with 121 in the ICU at Baptist and four children in the ICU at Wolfson.

McAvoy, who was once skeptical of the vaccine, tells Action News Jax he’s made it his mission to change people’s minds.

Patel wants to remind the community to only use hospitals for real emergencies.

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