Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Whitfield Regional Hospital has seen a drop in COVID-19 cases, and as of Monday, October 11, CEO Doug Brewer said the hospital only has four positives in house and three on ventilators.

“We’re definitely seeing things begin to tick down a little bit, and I noticed statewide that we’re down under 1000. So that’s a good thing, and we just all hope it continues,” said Brewer.

Brewer said the number of COVID-19 patients the hospital is seeing has dropped a considerable amount. Until recently, the hospital was doing around 20-25 Regeneron infusions a day through the emergency department. They are now doing only a couple a day through the ED.

“The hospital is still busy but it’s not with COVID finally, which is a good thing,” said Brewer.

Brewer said that he thinks there has been a tick up in the number of people getting vaccinated which has played a role in the decreasing numbers at the hospital.

“I haven’t seen the statewide or the county numbers lately, but it sure seemed like there was a pickup and people willing to get vaccinated. There’s no question that there’s a correlation particularly between hospitalized patients in the vaccine,” said Brewer.

There has been talk recently about booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine, but at the moment Whitfield has not begun booster clinics. At the moment, the hospital is doing the immunocompromised third dose for seniors and individuals who are immunocompromised in the community. Brewer said they are waiting on official word from the CDC on when they can begin administering booster shots.

WRH will be hosting another vaccination clinic on Friday, October 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the classroom.