Medical leaders from the two largest hospitals in the metro pleaded with central Iowans to do their part to bring the outbreak under control.The medical leaders said their hospital staffs are in rough shape after eight months of treating COVID-19 patients and they fear some very dark days are ahead with the huge increase of positive cases. “My outlook is grim,” said Dr. Rossana Rosa, with UnityPoint. Sobering words from the infectious disease expert. “There will be more deaths, and there will be more suffering from a disease that remains preventable,” Rosa said. Which is why both UnityPoint and MercyOne leaders appeared at Gov. Kim Reynolds’ news conference Thursday to plead with central Iowans. On the positive side, they said they are better prepared now than they were eight months ago to treat COVID-19. But the disease is taking a toll on hospital staff. They said you can help them, yourself and your friends and family by being more careful. “I’m asking you, as an emergency department doctor, as a father and as a husband, to please protect your family, our community and our health care workers by wearing a mask, avoiding large gatherings, maintaining physical distancing and using hand hygiene,” Dr. Hijinio Carreon said. Rosa said there are several big reasons Iowa’s COVID-19 numbers are skyrocketing. “The virus has never been under control in this state,” Rosa said. “We never managed to truly bring up our positivity rates to manageable levels. We have just started off at a much worse baseline that even other states that saw much higher spikes earlier this year.”Rosa also said Iowans are not being safe. “Not only the fact that bars and indoor dining remain open, but also gatherings, both very lager and also small gatherings that just continue to drive the spread,” Rosa said. Rosa said people that get the rapid test still need to PCR test to make sure they are not positive.
DES MOINES, Iowa —
Medical leaders from the two largest hospitals in the metro pleaded with central Iowans to do their part to bring the outbreak under control.
The medical leaders said their hospital staffs are in rough shape after eight months of treating COVID-19 patients and they fear some very dark days are ahead with the huge increase of positive cases.
“My outlook is grim,” said Dr. Rossana Rosa, with UnityPoint.
Sobering words from the infectious disease expert.
“There will be more deaths, and there will be more suffering from a disease that remains preventable,” Rosa said.
Which is why both UnityPoint and MercyOne leaders appeared at Gov. Kim Reynolds’ news conference Thursday to plead with central Iowans. On the positive side, they said they are better prepared now than they were eight months ago to treat COVID-19. But the disease is taking a toll on hospital staff.
They said you can help them, yourself and your friends and family by being more careful.
“I’m asking you, as an emergency department doctor, as a father and as a husband, to please protect your family, our community and our health care workers by wearing a mask, avoiding large gatherings, maintaining physical distancing and using hand hygiene,” Dr. Hijinio Carreon said.
Rosa said there are several big reasons Iowa’s COVID-19 numbers are skyrocketing.
“The virus has never been under control in this state,” Rosa said. “We never managed to truly bring up our positivity rates to manageable levels. We have just started off at a much worse baseline that even other states that saw much higher spikes earlier this year.”
Rosa also said Iowans are not being safe.
“Not only the fact that bars and indoor dining remain open, but also gatherings, both very lager and also small gatherings that just continue to drive the spread,” Rosa said.
Rosa said people that get the rapid test still need to PCR test to make sure they are not positive.