The number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 at Edward Hospital is at its highest point in months, officials said this week.
In the week ending Dec. 11, 46 were admitted to the Naperville hospital for the coronavirus, up from 39 the week of Dec. 4, 34 the week of Nov. 27, and 32 and 23 the other two weeks. Last week’s number was the highest since early January, said Jonathan Pinsky, Edward Hospital’s infection control and prevention medical director.
Even with vaccines and boosters available to almost all age groups, Thursday morning’s COVID-19 hospitalization head count at Edward-Elmhurst Health’s two hospitals was 112, the highest daily head count recorded in 2021, according to hospital data.
“The number one reason is that there are not enough people who are vaccinated. That is driving the severe infections and the hospitalizations,” said Pinsky.
Over the last couple of weeks, about 85% of patients coming to Edward are unvaccinated. Of the vaccinated individuals who do get admitted, the median age is 77.
“What we’re seeing in the breakthrough cases is often a patient that is elderly and gets admitted because of dehydration or fever or what we would consider mild symptoms … we’re not seeing as much severe infections in that breakthrough group,” he said.
Unvaccinated individuals are being admitted for much worse situations, such as COVID pneumonia, respiratory failure, and low oxygen levels, Pinsky said.
“The population we are seeing that gets admitted, many of them are resistant to medical treatment or have ideas that they do not trust the medical system or physicians,” Pinsky said, describing it as a “communication barrier.”
“There is a way out: people get vaccinated, we get our children vaccinated, we get adults vaccinated, and also if people who are fully vaccinated get boosters. If we do all those things, we shouldn’t have to worry as much,” he added.
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Pinsky recommended eligible people to get booster shots, especially with the “looming threat” of the omicron variant of the virus, which has not been detected at Edward. A study revealed Wednesday, for instance, reported Moderna boosters are effective at containing the omicron variant.
Among other observations:
Pinsky said they registered 673 positive COVID-19 tests last week, the highest weekly number since early January;
the median age group of admitted patients is in the late 40s, much younger than last winter when the median was about 70;
about 2% of admissions are nursing home patients, compared to about 15% of COVID-19 patients admitted last winter;
and most infections now are acquired through household transmission instead of in workplaces.
“People feel in their own homes safe, so they’re not taking the precautions when people gather together. They do not tend to take those same precautions,” Pinsky said.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the percentage of people fully vaccinated for COVID-19 in the Naperville-area ZIP codes range from 64% to 85%.
The health agency reports about 22% of DuPage County 5- to 11-year-olds and 70% of 12- to 17-year-olds are fully vaccinated, while 13% of Will County 5- to 11-year-olds and 57% of 12- to 17-year-olds are fully vaccinated.