WOODBRIDGE, Va. — As cases of the Delta variant grow, employees of hospital systems in the DMV are feeling the stress of taking care of patients.
Sentara Healthcare, which has locations across Virginia, including Woodbridge, reports capacity in its hospitals are close to reaching the same peak as last year. The space and supply are considered okay for now despite the fact that more of the patients are younger and getting sick faster.
About 95% of patients admitted to Sentara hospitals are unvaccinated, per senior officials.
"Our staff is really struggling," Sentara Healthcare Executive Vice President & Chief Physician Executive Dr. Jordan Asher said. "They've been at this for 18 months. We will always give you that help but I want to stress how hard that is on our staff."
Recent data showed almost 1,500 people are hospitalized with the virus. Nearly 400 of those patients are in the ICU. There was a 90% increase in admitted patients in Virginia hospitals over the last two weeks.
In D.C., 115 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, according to health data. That number is an 80% increase from two weeks earlier. Maryland added another 300 COVID-19 patients to its hospital beds. The total number of patients reached 700 with 200 of those in the ICU.
"We're busy like everybody else and we're continuing to see the numbers go up," Asher added.
Asher said his staff is reporting an overall feeling from most patients that they didn't expect to get the virus, with some even wishing they had received the vaccine.
Sentara is now requiring all employees, vendors and volunteers to get fully vaccinated by Oct. 18. Asher said the decision came about because it fit their mission to improve health daily, evidence from the science and worries surrounding the Delta variant.
"Having the FDA approval was very important to us for those 16 years and older," he said. "We have five other vaccines that are required so we have internal processes that we do anyway."
Out of the 28,000 hospital employees, the requirement would impact about a quarter of them. Asher stressed those who have not received the vaccine does not always equate to being hesitant or being an anti-vaxxer.
Much like the other required vaccines, hospital officials say if an employee does not get the shots, there's a "progressive disciplinary policy" implemented.