Sioux Falls hospital leaders say COVID-19 admissions have leveled off in recent weeks, but systems are still under surge conditions. As of Monday, 189 COVID patients were hospitalized in Sioux Falls. That’s down slightly from two weeks ago.
Dr. David Basel is Vice President for Clinical Quality with Avera Medical Group. He believes the public has played an important role by wearing masks in public and isolating when they are sick.
“But we have to sustain now. We can’t take our foot off the gas or things will just start right back increasing again. So, until we get that vaccine, which probably is weeks to months away for the general public, then we’ve got to keep on going.”
Hospital capacity and staffing continue to be big concerns. Dr. Basel says Avera’s intensive care units are operating at or near their capacity. He says any impact from gatherings over the Thanksgiving holiday will materialize in about two weeks.
-Contact SDPB reporter Jackie Hendry by email.
