PENNSYLVANIA, USA — As people packed into football games, concerts, and beaches, many healthcare workers watched with worry as already crowded hospitals nationwide braced for another possible surge in COVID-19 cases.
"We've all let our guards down," said HersheyCare pharmacist Chuck Kray. "Last year at this time everybody was wearing masks. Nobody's wearing masks now."
Kray stressed the COVID-19 vaccines do work. He said 95% of the people in hospitals right now are unvaccinated and 5% are vaccinated. Kray noted the highly contagious Delta variant is also sending case numbers soaring.
The United States has hit 40 million COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began. Currently, Pennsylvania is not listed among the top states for transmission in the nation.
However, Kray said that could change as more people travel.
"I really do believe in Pennsylvania we're going to see the worst yet to come. Things like Florida, Texas with the low vaccine rates- it's working its way up here with the Delta variant," said Kray.
At Hershey Pharmacy, Kray said they are administering 50-100 shots per week as more businesses are now requiring a vaccine on the heels of the FDA officially approving the Pfizer shot.
Meantime, hospitals across the area are reporting the following numbers of COVID-19 patients.
WELLSPAN YORK
Total COVID-19 patients at 4 Wellspan Health hospitals as of Sept. 6, 2021:
Chambersburg Hospital: 51
Good Samaritan Hospital: 18
Waynesboro Hospital: 13
Good Samaritan Hospital: 20
Waynesboro Hospital: 6
York Hospital: 59
As of last year at this same time period, Wellspan Health had 5 people hospitalized at Chambersburg, 5 at Good Samaritan, 1 at Waynesboro, and 26 at York.
PENN STATE HEALTH
Total COVID-19 patients in 3 hospitals: 92
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: 56
Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center: 14
Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center: 22
About 90% of Penn State Health's COVID-19 positive inpatients are unvaccinated.
This time last year, Hershey Medical Center had 7 patients and St. Joseph Medical Center had 7. Data for Holy Spirit Medical Center for Sept. 7, 2020 is not available as during that time period the hospital had not joined the health system.
PENN MEDICINE LANCASTER GENERAL HOSPITAL
Total COVID-19 patients as of Sept. 7: 58
As of Sept. 6, LGH had 7 patients in the ICU and 5 on a ventilator
This time last year, LGH had only 15 COVID-19 patients hospitalized.
UPMC
Total COVID-19 patients as of Sept. 7: 399
Patients in southcentral Pennsylvania in the Harrisburg region: 102
Patients in southwestern Pennsylvania: 140
Patients in northcentral Pennsylvania: 23
Patients in northwestern Pennsylvania and New York: 49
Patients in the Altoona region and Maryland: 85
On this date last year, UPMC was treating a total of 90-100 inpatients.
UPMC spokesperson Tyler Wagner said, "our data aligns with the national data in that almost all of the COVID-19 positive patients being admitted to the hospital for a higher level of care are not vaccinated."
He added that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and readily available, for free, in our communities.
Wagner also said that to avoid hospitalization from COVID-19, people should get vaccinated.
Additionally, Wagner noted that in large group settings and public spaces, especially indoors, people should be careful and take preventive steps, such as avoiding crowds, socially distancing and wearing a mask.