The move to ‘green status’ comes as cases drop to half of August spike
AdventHealth Central Florida continues its move toward normal as patients hospitalized with COVID-19 trend downward.
The hospital system returned to “green status,” according to a press release, as the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 numbered 860 Sept. 15, down nearly 50 percent from an August spike of some 1,700 hospitalizations.
Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Neil Finkler addressed the change.
“After seeing our COVID inpatient volumes continue to steadily decline, we are pleased to move to green status, which allows us to resume our nonemergent services that have been on hold for several weeks,” he said. “We thank our community and patients for their continued support and patience as we ramp up operations and procedures.”
The move to green status will allow for more nonemergency procedures, including procedures that require overnight stays.
The Halifax Health hospital system has also observed the decline in COVID-19-related hospitalizations. As of Sept. 14, Halifax Health reported 46 patients hospitalized in relation to COVID-19, including one child.
While hospitalizations are in decline, AdventHealth noted the current figure of 860 is still above the previous 2021 peak in January, which was previously the height of hospitalizations during the pandemic that began in March 2020.
Finkler urged the community to continue to do their part to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“We ask for our community’s continued support by continuing to mask, practice social distancing and get vaccinated,” he said. “The vast majority of people hospitalized and seriously ill continue to be unvaccinated.”
