GRAND RAPIDS, MI — The latest surge in coronavirus cases is putting younger people in the hospital compared to a previous surge last fall.
The average age of hospitalized COVID-19 patients at Spectrum Health hospitals is now 60, down from 73 during the last surge in November, according to Spectrum Health West Michigan President Darryl Elmouchi.
Elmouchi and other Spectrum Health leaders talked about their coronavirus concerns, as well as broadening vaccine eligibility, during a Zoom press conference Tuesday, March 30.
The discussion came not long after organizers of the West Michigan Vaccine clinic announced Tuesday they were immediately expanding vaccine eligibility to everyone 16 and older.
“As we’re seeing younger people being hospitalized, we recognize as does the state that the more vaccine we get into younger folks the better sooner,” Elmouchis said.
He also said health leaders just wanted to simplify the process and rules.
Elmouchi and other health officials say they’re concerned the latest increase in COVID-19 cases will become another wave, particularly as more contagious variant strains become more prevalent.
Spectrum Health hospitals now have 139 inpatients with COVID-19, up from 52 about two weeks ago. The intensive care unit admissions have doubled in four days.
Elmouchi said it’s believed the average age of inpatients is now younger because more people in their 70s and older have received the vaccine.
At Spectrum Health hospitals, the number of COVID-19 inpatients older than 70 has declined by about 40 percent from the last coronavirus surge. By contrast, the number of inpatients younger than 40 has increased by 54 percent.
The latest data on the percentage of positive coronavirus cases in Kent County, compared to all tests given, shows a rate of 11.3 percent as a seven-day average. Elmouchi said the figure has been as high as 16 percent for a given day in Spectrum Health’s in-system testing.
“It’s definitely a younger demographic in the hospital, definitely a lot of positivity and a lot of concern that what we’re seeing now feels strangely reminiscent to what we saw a few short months ago,” Elmouchi said.
Health officials reiterated the importance of getting the vaccine.
“What we care about the most is that shots are in arms,” said Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO of Spectrum Health. “And so it doesn’t matter where you get you’re shot, your vaccine. It’s just important that we’re all collaborating to help our community.”
While the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic was able to vaccinate more than 12,500 people in 12 hours on Monday — believed to be a one-day national record for clinic’s it’s size — the availability of vaccine is still sporadic.
Jon Ashford, CEO at Spectrum Health United and Kelsey hospitals, said the hospital system has “not seen the stability in the amount of doses that we’re receiving, but we are optimistic we will continue to see the volume we had this week.”
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