Tuscaloosa Virus Hospitalizations More Than Double Since Monday

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa's number of coronavirus hospitalizations has more than doubled since Monday, as DCH Health System recorded 26 total hospitalizations in its daily update Thursday. This is compared to 11 total inpatients reported to begin the week.

Thursday's new total also represents the highest number of coronavirus positive inpatients for the hospital system since March 9 and comes amid fears of the highly-publicized Delta Variant, coupled with a worrying decline in demand for the widely-available vaccine.

While Thursday's total is indeed a far cry from when DCH logged nearly 200 cases during the December surge, it still marks a noticeable departure from a summer where access to vaccines coincided with hospitalizations dropping to zero or single digits in Tuscaloosa for weeks.

The numbers have been steadily climbing over the last week, but for now, DCH continues to report five or fewer new inpatients each day, as much remains uncertain about what the coming days and weeks will bring.

DCH has also cited a survey by the Alabama Hospital Association that found over 90% of coronavirus-positive inpatients statewide had not been vaccinated.

Thankfully, the number of patients testing positive for the coronavirus in DCH's intensive care units (ICUs) has stayed relatively flat and not topped double digits in some time.

As Patch reported earlier this week, the Alabama Department of Public Health reports that unvaccinated people have represented 96.2% coronavirus deaths in Alabama since April. However, those statistics have done little to convince a skeptical public to fully embrace the vaccine, as Tuscaloosa proves no exception to what appears to be a nationwide resurgence in cases and hospitalizations.

Due to such a low demand for the free vaccine, DCH says it has already started moving forward with closing its drive-through vaccination site next month, but still strongly encourages the public to get vaccinated.

According to Thursday's update from the Alabama Department of Public Health, 64,453 Tuscaloosa County residents have completed their coronavirus vaccination series, which falls well short of half the population of the metropolitan area.

"COVID-19 vaccines are working," DCH Vice President of Marketing and Communications Andy North told Patch on Tuesday as the noticeable rise in hospitalizations began. "DCH encourages community members to get the vaccine and will continue to stand ready. Should community demand for the COVID-19 vaccine go back up, then DCH will evaluate and respond as needed."

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