DCH Coronavirus Update 12-15-20

Vaccine Update

DCH has received nearly 3,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and will begin administering them to frontline workers and first responders this Thursday, December 17. Frontline means anyone who has direct contact with a patient or a patient’s fluids. Physicians, nurses (including those working in clinics), Lab, Laundry and Nutritional Services employees are some examples.

DCH has started sharing the process for how to register for the vaccine with those who are currently eligible. We do not yet have details or timing on when others in the community may be eligible to receive the vaccine but will share information as it becomes available.

Please share the following with those who may be interested. DCH is looking for individuals with a current Alabama RN, LPN or paramedic licensure to work as PRN/per diem (temporary) vaccination providers. Click below to view the job description. https://phe.tbe.taleo.net/phe01/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=DCHSYSTEM&cws=38&rid=17731

Testing and Confirmed Cases

To protect patient privacy, DCH has established a minimum threshold of five for reporting numbers of inpatients with laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19.

DCH internal counts as of 3:52 p.m. on 12/15/20:

• 153 inpatients are positive for COVID-19.
• 29 inpatients who are positive for COVID-19 are being treated in the ICU.
• 11 who are positive for COVID-19 are on ventilators.
• 14 who are positive for COVID-19 are on a BiPAP.
• 5,783 (cumulative) unique positives for COVID-19 tests including results from the ED, triage tent and inpatient. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
• 31,181 (cumulative) unique negatives for COVID-19 at DCH sites.
• 7,034 (cumulative) positive COVID-19 at DCH sites. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
• 52,285 (cumulative) negative tests at DCH sites.
• 1,688 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have been discharged.
• 302 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died at DCH. This is not an indication of the cause of death, only that the individuals were positive for COVID-19 at the time of death.
• 140 Tuscaloosa County residents (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died (per the Alabama Department of Public Health).