DCH Coronavirus Update 2-8-21

Doing the Right Thing

The tent is back.

When DCH opened its new testing facility late last year, the tent was retired. However, the Alabama Department of Public Health recently asked DCH to be one of eight sites to administer 1,000 COVID-19 vaccines a day for a week.

There was just no way to do it without bringing the tent back … and staying open 14 hours a day … and working through a weekend or two to vaccinate educators.

Many of those providing vaccines are also those who have been serving tirelessly at the bedside.

For all those who are working extra hours at the remote site or in the hospital, we thank you. For those who are volunteering or have come in to work part time to help out, we thank you as well. Every one of you, no matter your role, are healthcare champions and you are making a difference for our community.

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 Health System internal counts as of 4:23 p.m. on 2/8/21:

• 91 inpatients within the DCH system who are positive for COVID-19.
• 19 inpatients who are positive for COVID-19 are being treated in the ICU.
• 9 who are positive for COVID-19 are on ventilators.
• 9 who are positive for COVID-19 are on a BiPAP.
• 8,223 (cumulative) unique positives for COVID-19 tests including results from the ED, triage tent and inpatient. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
• 36,171 (cumulative) unique negatives for COVID-19 at DCH sites.
• 9,937 (cumulative) positive COVID-19 at DCH sites. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
• 65,600 (cumulative) negative tests at DCH sites.
• 2,728 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have been discharged.
• 511 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.
• 236 Tuscaloosa County residents (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died (per the Alabama Department of Public Health).