(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration is advising Illinois hospitals to postpone non-emergency surgeries during the current wave of COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant.
The state has a number of concerns: a record number of new cases, rising hospitalizations largely among the unvaccinated, and burn out that’s led healthcare workers to leave. After dealing with this for nearly two years, the state is reporting 500 new hospitalizations per day, which has increased more than 30 percent in a week and 5,700 hundred patients- approaching an all-time high.
“To all Illinoisans: please understand that the nation is experiencing high COVID transmission rates, and some surgeries in Illinois will be postponed,” Pritzker said in a prepared statement. “We’re asking our residents to temporarily hold off on important medical care like tonsillectomies, bariatric surgeries and hernia repair.
He also said that Illinois is “preparing for a continuing post-holiday surge."
Officials said the best strategy to help hospitals deal with an influx of COVID patients is for people to get vaccinated. While vaccinated people are experiencing “breakthrough” COVID cases, their symptoms are generally not as severe as those who are not vaccinated, experts say.
The director of the state’s Department of Public Health, Dr, Ngozi Ezike said about 90 percent of those in hospitals are unvaccinated.
“Healthcare workers need your help,” said Ted Rogalski, incoming chair for the Illinois Health and Hospital Association. “This pandemic has taken a mental and physical toll on those who see the worst side of this virus every day. They are exhausted, but still standing tall.”
The state reported just over 30,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday-the highest rate ever recorded.
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