Dorset County Hospital treating around 40 patients for Covid-19
That's double what it was during the first peak
The number of coronavirus patients occupying beds at Dorset County Hospital is currently more than double the number there were during the first peak in 2020.
It’s after a steep surge in the number of patients being admitted to hospital with the virus between Christmas and New Year.
Cases rose from single digits to the current number, which is around 40, in a very short period of time. Patients being treated for Covid-19 now account for around 10% of the hospital’s beds.
Alastair Hutchison is Dorset County Hospital's Chief Medical Officer.
He said:
“Dorset County Hospital, 2 weeks ago, was still relatively quiet in terms of COVID patients.
“In the week between Christmas and New Year things have changed quite dramatically.
“We are still managing to look after people who are coming through ED quite well, and that’s – today at least – not a major concern.
“We’re anticipating over the next week to three weeks that we will get into quite difficult waters.”
Emergency plans
Additionally, the hospital is expecting overflow patients from surrounding hospitals to start arriving as neighbouring regions are overrun.
Emergency plans could be brought in to expand the ICU to cope with extra pressure.
The hospital has been planning for a situation where it reaches capacity for many months and it's thought those plans will need to be implemented within the coming days.
Lower death rates
But, Alastair told Greatest Hits Radio there is some good news.
Death rates seem to be lower than during the first wave, and the latest lockdown combined with vaccination efforts could mean the crisis is in it’s last days.
“The number of people who are dying is much less. Although we have twice as many patients in hospital, the number of people who are dying is about half the numbers we had in the first wave.
“As the vaccine gets rolled out, we hope those numbers will come down even further.”
“We know that the vaccine is going to work, we know that the lockdown will help and so there is very much a feeling that there’s light at the end of the tunnel, but that we have a very difficult few weeks before that.”
When will I get the vaccine?
The vaccine is being rolled out across the UK but it's only being offered to priority groups initially.
Those groups include over 80's, care home workers and NHS staff at higher risk from the virus.
You'll be contacted by the NHS when you're able to receive a vaccine.
Dorset CCG are asking you not to call the NHS to ask when you can get your jab.