OLYMPIA, Wash. — A room once used for support groups and employee training has been transformed into a space to care for potential patients at Olympia’s Providence St. Peter Hospital.
The hospital is trying to make space to house a record-number of coronavirus patients.
“We are by far in our largest surge for COVID-19,” said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kevin Caserta.
Internal predictions from the hospital place the number as high as 120 patients in early September.
Currently, the hospital is caring for 100 patients diagnosed with COVID-19. In January, there were just over 60 infected patients at the hospital.
“I honestly thought that would have been the worst one we would have seen,” said Caserta.
Caserta said he blames a low vaccination rate for the uptick in COVID-19 cases.
“Our caregivers are very tired and at times we can all become frustrated because this pandemic does not need to be at the levels where we are at right now,” said Caserta.
Providence St. Peter Hospital is in Thurston County, where 56.5% of the population has been vaccinated, according to the state Department of Health.
While that number is lower than the state’s average of 59.8%, Thurston County’s figures are higher than nearby counties the hospital serves, Lewis and Grays Harbor County.
The additional 14 beds now placed in the conference room and waiting areas cannot be used until the Department of Health grants the hospital approval.
Non-COVID-19 patients would be placed in the bed, freeing up more space in traditional rooms for coronavirus patients.
Caserta said the beds could be full by the end of next week.
“This is why we do things like this,” said Caserta, “To be ready in the worst case scenario, but in all honesty, I hope we never have to use them.”