By NEWS RELEASE & LISA HILL – HUNT REGIONAL HEALTHCARE • AUG 20, 2021
As of 9:00 am Monday, Hunt Regional Medical Center has 61 COVID patients, and 23 of these are in our 16-bed Intensive Care Unit, which means we have double occupancy in seven of our ICU rooms. Twelve ICU patients are on ventilators, with four in the emergency room in Greenville and one in Quinlan today waiting on beds.
Our current staffing is improving, with the state-supplied nurses and respiratory therapists. This past Wednesday, nine ICU nurses and eight respiratory therapists arrived at Hunt Regional Medical Center. In addition, we expect 19 traveler agency nurses coming on Monday, Aug. 23, and another 13 on Monday, Aug. 30.
The Commerce Auxiliary Volunteers have decided to close the Bargain Box until Sep. 18. If anyone would like to donate to the Bargain Box, please contact any of the Commerce Auxiliary members.
Sometime after Sep. 20, a booster COVID vaccine should be available to those previously vaccinated with either the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. At this time, Hunt Regional Healthcare does not plan to provide the booster shots, but we are working with community partners to offer this service. We will keep you updated with more information as it becomes available.
A third dose of the vaccine is recommended immediately for immunocompromised patients due to current cancer treatment, taking any drugs, such as corticosteroids, or having an immune system suppressing disease. Those who fit the current criteria for the 3rd dose can make an appointment at our Urgent Care Center using this link: https://hrmedpartners.org/covid-vaccine-information/.
As previously reported, the Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy in Greenville is also providing third doses by appointment. Other area pharmacies and CareVide provide first and second doses of the COVID vaccine, and we strongly encourage anyone who is not vaccinated to do so at your earliest convenience.