The number of COVID-19 patients is rising in the two local hospitals and The Villages Health also is seeing an increase in positive test results among patients and staff members.
That’s according to an email sent Thursday to Villages Health patients from Dr. Jeffrey Lowenkron, who serves as chief medical officer of the Developer-owned healthcare organization. He reported that on Wednesday there were 94 patients suffering from COVID-19 at UF Health The Villages Hospital and UF Health Leesburg Hospital, with 19 of those victims in intensive care and one requiring a ventilator.
Lowenkron also asked his healthcare organization’s patients to be patient in getting vaccinated against the potentially deadly virus. He said distribution of the vaccines “will take time to catch up to the global demand” and they will be administered as rapidly as possible.
Lowenkron said virtually all of the vaccines that have been sent to Florida so far are being used to inoculate front-line providers and residents of long-term care facilities. He said in Florida alone there are four million residents over the age of 65, so there will need to be a supply of eight million doses to cover them with the required two vaccinations.
Lowenkron said The Villages Health, in conjunction with the local Department of Health, the University of Florida hospitals and others are working to put together a plan for a community-based broad vaccination program. He said residents can expect to see a program that requires an online signup, followed by drive-through vaccination areas with space for 15-minute observation after the vaccine is administered, and an automated reminder system for the second dose.
“Many of the logistics will be similar to the broad-based testing that occurred with the University of Florida and The Villages Health in April and May of this year,” he said.
Lowenkron also offered tips for residents to use in the ongoing battle against the virus. Those include:
- People should not attend in-person events if they are sick;
- Social distancing of at least six feet is important;
- Consistent mask wearing is advised;
- Frequent handwashing, avoid shaking hands and minimize hand-to-face contact;
- Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing, then wash your hands;
- Avoid interactions that last 15 minutes and are within six feet of others, especially without masks, and
- Flu vaccines are available and people should strongly consider getting them.
He said The Villages Health also is taking multiple steps to create a safer environment for patients at its care centers. Those include:
- Temperature checks and questionnaires for all staff, patients and guests who enter a care center;
- Employees who are ill or exposed are being quarantined at home until it’s safe for them to return to work;
- Social distancing is practiced throughout the workplace;
- Required mask use for all in the care center (patients and guests are provided masks if they need them);
- Telephone triage to help assess risk, need for testing and need for aggressive care like hospital visits;
- COVID-19 testing, if recommended, is performed in the parking lot to avoid potential infection of others; and
- Patients will be called and offered a telehealth visit to provide needed care without risk of exposure in a care center.