Thread by @AllisonWSOC9

I'm listening in to #COVID19 briefing from @NovantHealth Dr. David Priest now.

Tested- 455,000 patients since start of pandemic
Treated- over 210,000 patients
Over last 7 days they have seen declines in hospitalizations but they currently have 500 #COVID19 patients.
11% are on ventilators.

Doctors are seeing percent positive rates drop but it is too soon to call it a trend.
They remain 90-95% capacity in ICUs.

21,500 vaccines have been given to @NovantHealth team members
More than 5,000 patients 75 years + have received shots.

Staffing is a concern.
They are calling for qualified nurses to return.
330 travel healthcare professionals are working in @NovantHealth hospitals in non-#COVID19 areas so they can shift team members.

.@NovantHealth stresses the vaccine supply is limited. They get shipments from NC. All appointments have been filled so far. Anyone 65+ should check back on Jan 23rd.

Plans to open 6 mass vaccine distribution sites are underway.
They want to increase allocation to 95,000 a week & are waiting on the state.

Updates on #CLT mass vaccine sites are coming soon.

Dr. Priest:
Often patients with #COVID19 are in the hospital 8-10 days.
You will see an impact on the hospitalizations in the next 10-14 days if the percent positives continue to decrease.

Dr Priest:
Usually a week after symptoms, you see which direction a patient is going to go.
Generally hospitalizations will lag behind positivity rates.

Dr. Priest:
The number of vaccines @NovantHealth has been receiving has been pretty much the same all month.

Dr. Priest:
We are seeing very little flu.
We have a had a handful of outpatient cases.
It speaks to the fact that #COVID19 is far more contagious.