Sustained Surge At DCH Brings More New Virus Patients Wednesday

TUSCALOOSA, AL — DCH Health System reported yet another high on Wednesday, logging 16 new inpatients to bring its total to 66 coronavirus-positive hospitalizations. Among those, 16 are being treated in the hospital system's intensive care unit (ICU). The total also represents a stark contrast to the 20 hospitalizations reported on the same day a week ago.

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Tuesday's inpatient total is the highest DCH has seen since Feb. 12 when 70 inpatients were reported on the downward slope of a massive spike following the holidays.

As worries are realized of the highly-contagious Delta Variant, the recent spike in hospitalizations in Tuscaloosa large consists of those who have not been vaccinated. As Patch reported earlier this week, more than 90% of new coronavirus-positive inpatients at DCH had not been vaccinated.

To date, 560 inpatients who were positive for COVID-19 have died at DCH, with 315 of them being Tuscaloosa County residents. Two new deaths have been recorded over the last two weeks, including one Tuscaloosa native.

Dr. Wanyun Shao, an assistant professor of geography at the University of Alabama, has studied people’s perception of risk as it relates to the coronavirus. She explained that, based on past research, renewed mask guidelines and mandates alone will likely only have discernible effects on those who are concerned about the virus and who have probably already been vaccinated.

"In a highly polarized environment, various facets of COVID-19 are framed differently among people with different political orientation," she said. "The current framing of vaccines among many conservatives ties vaccine mandates to governmental infringement of individual liberty, which is why many have become hostile to vaccines."

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In the deeply-conservative Tuscaloosa metro area, political divisions are reflected in low demand for the widely-available vaccine. As Patch reported on Tuesday, more than half of the population of the metro has not been vaccinated.

The low demand also initially prompted DCH Health System to move forward plans to close its mobile vaccination site, before a noticeable surge in new hospitalizations prompted the system to pivot and announce on Tuesday that it would stay open.

Shao goes on to point out that providing timely information about rising number of cases and death rates, is likely to motivate Americans to adopt risk mitigation behaviors such as wearing masks and getting vaccines — a notion that is indicated by recent research.

"Political leaders in states with low vaccination rates and seeing growing number of cases should directly communicate with the public about the evolving situation and the severity of it," she said. "Meanwhile, those who have been vaccinated should actively reach out to their family members, friends, and neighbors who are hesitant to get the vaccine. Appealing to one's desire to serve for the common good may work.”

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