“Even though the omicron virus is less virulent, it is much easier to spread,” he said. “The numbers will be overwhelming. Add to that the cases within our own workforce and it is going to be challenging.”
As the omicron variant of COVID-19 reaches full force in New Hampshire and Maine, medical personnel admit to growing exhaustion.
“There is an immense fatigue, and people are leaving health care,” said Dr. Thomas Wold, chief medical officer at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. “It is still surprising us all at how disproportionally it is hitting us all. It’s like a slow boil that keeps getting bigger. COVID patients are in the hospital, some in the ICU and some coming in through the emergency department. We see increases every week.”
A daily report for Jan. 18 shows the strain at Exeter Hospital, which stated it had 109 staff members out due to COVID-19 exposure or quarantine. Exeter Hospital also reported it had 83 COVID patients with just one remaining intensive care unit bed available.
Exeter’s report indicates that on Monday, three out of five Seacoast region hospitals reported zero ICU beds available and only a total of five open across all five hospitals. Among the nine hospitals serving the I-93 southern corridor in New Hampshire there were only four available beds. Only 26% of hospitalized COVID patients with known vaccination status were fully vaccinated.
Wold, in Portsmouth, said the country is still seeing huge increases in omicron cases, though it has dropped in some areas. He said hospitals have plans for where patients can be placed if the usual locations are overrun with patients.
“We need ICU beds; we need medical beds, so we need to look at how we can expand,” Wold said. “People are working extra shifts, and we are looking day to day as to how we plan. That staff shows up every day is truly commendable. Staff are showing positive tests and we are scrambling to keep up. A good amount of staff is in isolation, or quarantining because of exposure. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has helped by making it easier for staff to return to work, but we are still struggling to manage.”
Meehan, in Exeter, said every variant of COVID tends to lead to spikes. He said cases appear and hospitalizations follow.
“I think Massachusetts has probably seen their peak and cases seem to be dropping,” he said. “I hope New Hampshire is starting to see our peak, but that means we will see hospitalizations rise. Models are predicting dire increases for our state. Models are imperfect, but all we can do is wait and see.”
Medical experts say it’s too soon to say if omicron indicates a trend toward less serious illness. The only certainty seems to be the next few weeks are likely to be seriously difficult for hospital staffs.
“Last year’s post holiday peaks happened mid to late January, so we are waiting for the surge,” said Dr. Evangeline Thibodeau, an infectious disease expert at York Hospital.
Thibodeau said the biggest issue right now is staffing. Partly because of the high rate of transmission of the omicron variant, York Hospital, like others, is seeing high rates of staff illness and absences.
“People are vaccinated here but are out with breakthrough cases, or they are out caring for family members with COVID,” said Thibodeau. “Most are acquiring cases out in the community, but I cannot say with certainty there is no spread from within the hospital. We are behind on contact tracing, so it’s hard to say where this is coming from.”
Dr. Artemio Mendoza, an infectious disease doctor at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover, said they are seeing COVID cases among staff.
“We are seeing many cases,” he said. “I am hearing people are out sick with COVID, or that their whole family has COVID. The help from the National Guard is very welcome and is making a difference but it is difficult right now.”
Some countries, like Spain and Australia, have started signaling they may treat the pandemic as endemic and consider removing restrictions. The basis for the move is a belief that omicron is a weaker variant, signifying the end of the pandemic. Not all experts globally or locally are on board with that belief, with Dr. Anthony Fauci stating, “it is an open question as to whether or not omicron is going to be the live virus vaccination that everyone is hoping for.”
Meehan said the United States is always a bit behind Europe in what is happening with COVID cases.
“We look to the UK to predict what will happen here,” he said. “Many people have been infected and might be building immunities. We can be optimistic but this virus has come back to bite us in so many ways that I am hesitant to make such a prediction. We can still hope, right?”
Mendoza said he is not ready to see the United States move in the direction of treating COVID-19 as endemic, a disease like the flu that we learn to live with. He said it is still too uncertain, and he cautions against moving too quickly.
“Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but we need to look at trends, at how this is going,” Mendoza said. “If you ask me if we will get worse in the next few weeks, or if you ask me if we will get better, I would say honestly that I just do not know.”
We have been playing the what-if game for two years now, Mendoza said.
“The situation represents a paradox, predictable yet unpredictable,” he said. “People are vaccinated. Other people are still refusing the vaccine, still refusing to wear a mask and take mitigation factors like social distancing. People are congregating in higher numbers, much more so than a year ago when people took this more seriously. We have 36 COVID patients today in the hospital. The numbers from ( New Hampshire health officials) are increasing daily. Omicron is significant in those numbers, but it is not the only factor.”
Thibodeau agreed, adding, “It’s hard to know where we’re going, and my concern would be that the more the virus is allowed to spread, the greater the risk of more new variants popping up.”
Eventually, it will get better, Mendoza said, noting while many people are hospitalized, many are recovering quietly at home.
“We are going to learn to live with this,” Mendoza said. “It is never going away. We are not going to eradicate this virus. This is not the time to stop being cautious. I know it is physically and mentally exhausting, but we need to keep going for a while longer.”
“There is no doubt in my mind that we will get there,” Meehan said. “We are all hoping and waiting for that.”
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