Covid is apparently on the move locally. Coulee Medical Center cautioned community members Monday that although all services are still available, covid-related staffing problems may cause delays in service.
“We are now in the midst of a COVID 19 outbreak in the community which is affecting the operations of Coulee Medical Center,” CMC posted on their Facebook page Monday.
CEO Ramona Hicks said CMC has had nine staff members out in just four days after testing positive, far more than they’ve had in months.
“I think there’s just a lot more covid out in the community,” she said Tuesday. Because those staff members work in different departments, there’s not a critical shortage that could shut down services yet, she said.
Prior to this “small outbreak,” Hicks said, CMC hadn’t had anyone out with covid for three or four weeks. Before that, one or two such absences had been fairly normal.
The outbreak prompted an unscheduled, extra “incident command” meeting at the hospital to decide what steps might be needed. They usually hold such meetings once a month.
“We’re really at the same spot we were two years ago,” HIcks said. But so far, there’s no need to stop elective procedures or cut other services.
However, visitation at the hospital “will be limited,” the CMC post notes.
Not only is covid apparently more prevalent, but some staff have been out with other viruses, too.
“This is the perfect kind of weather for viruses to thrive,” Hicks said. People should avoid going out if they have any illness, or signs or symptoms of covid. Although that advice is “probably too late for Christmas,” she admitted, people should be mindful of it in relation to New Year’s gatherings.
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