The following news release was published by Hunt Regional Healthcare on Aug. 20. Hunt Regional Healthcare operates Hunt Regional Medical Center, the hospital in Greenville, as well as the emergency centers in Commerce and Quinlan.
As of 9 a.m. this morning, Hunt Regional Medical Center has 61 COVID patients. 23 of these patients are in our 16-bed Intensive Care Unit, which means we have double occupancy in seven of our I.C.U. rooms. 12 I.C.U. patients are on ventilators. There are four patients holding in the emergency room in Greenville and one in Quinlan today waiting on inpatient beds.
Our current staffing is improving, with the state-supplied nurses and respiratory therapists. This past Wednesday, nine I.C.U, nurses and eight respiratory therapists arrived at Hunt Regional Medical Center. In addition, we are scheduled to have 19 traveler agency nurses arrive on Monday, Aug. 23, and another 13 on Monday, Aug. 30.
The Commerce Auxiliary Volunteers have decided to close the Bargain Box until September 18. If anyone would like to make a donation to the Bargain Box during this time please contact any of the Commerce Auxiliary members.
Sometime after Sept. 20, a booster COVID vaccine should be available to those who were previously vaccinated with either of 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 provide this service. We will keep you updated with more information as it becomes available.
A third dose of the vaccine is recommended immediately for anyone who is immunocompromised due to current cancer treatment, taking any drugs, such as corticosteroids, or have 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, it is confirmed that the Medicine Shoppe pharmacy in Greenville is also providing third doses by appointment. Other area pharmacies and CareVide are providing first and second doses of the COVID vaccine and we strongly encourage anyone who has not yet been vaccinated to do so at your earliest convenience.