COVID-19 hospitalizations increasing across the Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) -- As COVID case rates surge across the Bay Area, so do hospitalizations. 

Over the last 30 days, all nine counties in the Bay Area have seen increases, with hospitalizations quadrupling in Contra Costa County and more than doubling in Alameda County, Sonoma County and San Francisco.

"They are something we are concerned about," San Francisco Deputy Health Director Dr. Naveena Bobba said. "It is not unique to San Francisco the Bay Area and California are all seeing this trend."

Now, a new call for all health care workers to be vaccinated. 

The American Hospital Association which represents nearly 5,000 hospitals health care systems and networks across the country says it strongly urges the vaccination of all health care personnel supports hospitals and health systems that adopt mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies.

"Institutions that are not making sure their health care workers are vaccinated are on the wrong side of history they are putting their patients at risk," Dr. John Sqartzberg said.

U.C. Berkeley Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. John Swartzberg says this policy is a long time coming and the right thing to do.

"You are talking about a population of people who are at high risk for a bad outcome to COVID and it is incumbent upon the hospital to ensure the safety of those patients and to require vaccinations of a health care worker seems like a minimal thing that can be done," Dr. Swartzberg said.

UCSF has mandated health care personnel be vaccinated, and Stanford will make the same requirement in August. 

That’s not the case with Dignity Health, Sutter Health and Kaiser. While they strongly encourage health care workers to get vaccinated -- it is not required.

from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3eKFY9O