As the Omicron variant creates a surge in coronavirus cases in the Old Dominion, an association of emergency physicians is calling on Governor Ralph Northam to reinstate the state of emergency that expired in July as COVID cases soar and hospitalizations increase.
The Virginia College of Emergency Physicians (VACEP) said emergency rooms have been overwhelmed in large part by people seeking tests or care for COVID-19, reports the Richmond-Times Dispatch.
The plea came hours after the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) issued a joint statement urging Virginians with mild to moderate COVID or other non-serious illnesses to stay away from hospital ERs — especially if they just want a COVID test.
WTVR Richmond reports that Dr. Todd Parker, the president-elect of the Virginia College of Emergency Physicians (VACEP), said the declaration would allow hospitals “some options that aren’t normally allowed,” like:
- Allowing the Commonwealth to provide disaster funding and access federal dollars to support the response and increase staffing levels
- Allowing emergency departments and hospitals to enact protocols to more efficiently evaluate or treat patients (such as using telehealth or providing care outside the walls of an ED)
- Helping emergency departments allocate scarce resources more appropriate
“Emergency departments are considered a safety net for those patients in need of care, regardless of insurance status, and are federally mandated and morally obligated to provide care to all those who seek it,” officials with the VACEP said. “However, Virginia’s emergency medicine system is under threat of collapse due to excessive patient volume.”
WDBJ Roanoke is reporting that when asked for a reaction from the governor’s office, a spokesperson responded by saying that despite increasing numbers, there is no reason to panic.
The spokesperson also said, “Please remember that every time the Governor has spoken about COVID over the past year, he has encouraged people to get vaccinated. That’s the best way to defeat the virus. I would also point out that… hospitalizations are still lower today than the last spike when delta appeared.”
