DCH Health System: 91% Of COVID-19 ICU Patients Unvaccinated

TUSCALOOSA, AL — DCH Health System says 31 of its 34 coronavirus patients (91%) receiving treatment in intensive care units are unvaccinated as of Wednesday, which saw the hospital add another 25 hospitalizations in a single to bring its overall total as of 3:38 p.m. to 148.

Of the 34 patients in ICUs at DCH, 19 are receiving treatments on ventilators. The current surge has seen the hospital's emergency room inundated to levels not seen since the peak of the last surge around the holidays, but elective surgeries are still being performed and numbers have yet to top highs seen in December 2020.

DCH also pointed out that 90% of its total inpatient population was unvaccinated, which is back up after being 88% on Tuesday — the numbers fluctuating daily due to discharges. It's also worth noting that 31 people have died at DCH after testing positive for the virus over the last two weeks — underscoring a disturbingly high fatality rate during the latest surge.

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While the situation remains dire for DCH in the face of a staffing shortage, the latest surge has brought a renewed demand for the widely-available vaccine.

As Patch reported on Tuesday, DCH Health System said roughly 600 vaccination appointments are scheduled for this coming Friday. This is a welcome revelation after demand dwindled to approximately 100 doses administered each Friday prior to the present surge in new cases.

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