Number of COVID Hospitalizations Rises at St. Mary’s Healthcare Hospitals

St. Mary’s Healthcare is not seeing much response from the public since they re-opened their COVID vaccination clinic two weeks ago.

However, they are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of COVID patients coming through their doors due to the rise in the delta variant that is sweeping across the country.

On Monday, several hospitals in Athens were on diversion except for the most critical life or death cases, including St. Mary’s, Athens Regional, and Piedmont Hospitals.

“For the last few months, St. Mary’s three hospitals have typically had roughly 5-7 COVID-19 patients on a given day but began to see volumes increase over the last few weeks,” said Montez Carter, St. Mary’s President, and CEO.

Carter said many COVID patients are requiring extended lengths of hospital stay due to the severity of their symptoms and as COVID numbers rise, so does the strain on the bed capacity at all three of St. Mary’s hospitals, including Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia.

And that, he said, has made it necessary for St. Mary’s in Athens to go on diversion from time to time.

Carter noted the vast majority of their current COVID hospitalizations are patients who have not been vaccinated, which he said is consistent with reported national trends. And the COVID patients hospitalized are mostly in their 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s.

In late July, St. Mary’s reopened their COVID vaccine clinic one day a week at Sacred Heart Hospital and they welcome anyone age 16 and over to come and get a free vaccine.

However, St. Mary’s spokesman Mark Ralston said the number of people coming in to get vaccinated has been slow.

To schedule an appointment for a free vaccine you can call 706-356-2002, and select option 3, to schedule your appointment.

Per CDC guidance, St. Mary’s is urging everyone to get vaccinated and to return to masking and social distancing to control the spread of the dangerous and highly infectious delta variant.