Kootenai Health says COVID rise 'exhausting' resources

COEUR d'ALENE — Kootenai Health reported Monday it is seeing “an unprecedented increase” in COVID-19 patients that is exhausting resources and staff.

“The COVID-19 hospital census is rising at a faster rate than it did last winter,” Kootenai Health CEO Jon Ness said. “If this trend continues, in just five days we will surpass our previous COVID-19 high census from December 2020.”

Both Kootenai Health and the Panhandle Health District urged everyone who can be vaccinated to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

KH had 68 COVID-19 patients Monday, 29 of those requiring critical care. It last had numbers that high in January, and in December had days of about 100 coronavirus patients.

“The strain is happening faster and is more severe, with the majority of cases being due to the highly contagious delta variant statewide,” a press release said.

Since the beginning of this surge, 97% of all COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization at Kootenai Health have not been vaccinated, the release said.

Kootenai Health has been running at near-maximum capacity since early spring 2021 and has postponed many elective procedures over the last several weeks due to hospital capacity, said Kootenai Health Chief Nursing Officer Joan Simon.

“We are now postponing all elective procedures that can wait for six to eight weeks so we can redeploy staff to care for hospitalized patients,” she said.

The Panhandle Health District also reported Monday it was seeing a dramatic increase in new COVID-19 cases.

In early July, PHD was averaging 16 COVID-19 cases per day across all five counties. Moving into the second week of August, PHD’s jurisdiction is averaging 113 cases per day.

The coronavirus positivity rate is also rising. On June 19, the state rate was 2.8%. On July 31, it was 10.7%, per the state's website. In three weeks, PHD's positivity rate climbed to 13.6% the week ending July 31, up from 4.3% on July 10. Kootenai County's rose from 4% to 13.7% in that same three-week period.

According to the PHD press release and data from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, about 95% of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Idaho since May 15 were those not fully vaccinated.

PHD currently sits at 38% of those 12 years and older being fully vaccinated, below the national average of about 59%.

“The longer we wait to receive the vaccine, the greater opportunity we are allowing the virus to mutate into additional, and potentially more deadly, variants that could cause the current vaccine to be less effective,” said Don Duffy, PHD interim director.

Many remain hesitant.

The Idaho Capital Sun previously reported that the state in January signed a $3-million contract with Boise-based firm GS Strategy Group to survey people about their attitudes toward the coronavirus vaccine and find ways to build confidence in the vaccines.

"The survey found that unvaccinated Idahoans aren’t worried about getting infected with the coronavirus; they’re worried about the vaccine," the report said. "That was true even with the arrival of more contagious, and potentially more serious, COVID-19 variants, the survey found."

Only about 14% of the Idahoans who were most likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine in the future said they were worried about catching the virus if they weren’t immunized, the survey found.

PHD recommends people, regardless of their vaccine status, consider adding back some layers of protection when they are in public settings.

“Masking, physical distancing, and the COVID-19 vaccine are our best defense” the release said.

For those seeking to be tested for COVID-19, PHD’s website lists providers and guidelines, such as whether a doctor’s referral is necessary, if an appointment is needed, or if they are testing only existing patients.

PHD also offers a rapid COVID-19 test that people can take at home. Other options for testing include over-the-counter tests available at Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart, Safeway, Albertsons or Fred Meyer. Idahoans can also dial 211 to request a free, rapid COVID-19 test to be mailed to them.

Some pharmacies have not able to keep up with the demand and have run out of tests until they receive another shipment.

Kootenai Health reported it also had the highest COVID-19 inpatient volumes in the state, more than double that of the inpatient census of the next busiest hospital, which is St. Alphonsus in Boise, with 30 COVID-19 patients, the press release said.

Simon reported that Kootenai Health is shifting staff from other duties in clinics and outpatient areas to assist with the hospital surge. On Monday, Kootenai Health leadership reached out to resources at the state level to request help.

“We need help finding enough nursing staff to care for the increased volumes of critical care and acute care patients,” said Jeremy Evans, chief regional operations officer at Kootenai Health who also serves as incident commander for the hospital’s COVID-19 response planning.

Across the border, in Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee said Monday that most state workers, as well as hundreds of thousands of private health care and long-term care employees, will be required to show proof of vaccination for COVID-19 by Oct. 18 or face losing their jobs.

“We have what is essentially a new virus at our throats,” he said at a news conference. “The state of Washington is taking decisive action.”

Marissa Morrison Hyer, Idaho Gov. Brad Little's press secretary, said he had no plans to follow suit.

She wrote that Little "made his stance clear in April as he banned any State of Idaho governmental entity from requiring so-called 'vaccine passports' — or proof of COVID-19 vaccination for citizens to receive public services or access facilities. Governor Little has chosen to incentivize state employees to receive the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine by offering the benefit of four hours of paid leave if they have received or choose to receive the vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine is our best tool to protect jobs, strengthen our workforce, and save lives."