Celebrate safely this holiday season
Star News
Editorials
The numbers don’t lie.
In the past six weeks, since the current COVID-19 surge began, The Star News has run on-average 12 obituaries each week. This is more than double the average number of obituaries for the same period of time over the prior three years.
While not every death is related to COVID-19, the statistical spike most assuredly is. The only reason that spike isn’t higher is because of the heroic efforts of the men and women at Aspirus Medford Hospital and other healthcare facilities around the region. But they cannot do it alone. They need the help of area residents to take personal responsibility for how their actions and behaviors impact those around them.
According to Dale Hustedt, president of Aspirus Medford Hospital and Clinics, when COVID-19 inpatient numbers topped 130 the week of November 9, the Aspirus system nearly ran out of available hospital beds.
With infectious disease experts anticipating another spike in the coming weeks, models predict local hospitals will need to care for at least 115 more critically ill COVID patients per day. This number is in addition to the usual heart attacks, strokes, cancer and traumas that continue to happen regardless of the pandemic.
Such an increase puts a serious strain on healthcare workers and healthcare infrastructure. The reality of being in healthcare in a small community is that patients cease being anonymous individuals and are often people providers have seen in the community, in their churches or at the grocery store. They are neighbors and friends. This familiarity makes the burden healthcare providers carry even greater.
Healthcare providers stand like a seawall being pounded by storm-tossed ocean waves. While they remain strong, for now, even the sturdiest wall will eventually fail to the unrelenting pressure unless action is taken to reinforce it.
By this point most people can name someone within their circle of family, friends and coworkers who has become infected with COVID-19.
Perhaps they were among the many lucky ones who shrugged off the virus with mild or non-existent symptoms and are left to wonder what the big deal is. Just as likely, is that someone you know was hit hard by the virus and is among those who ended up with an emergency room visit or were hospitalized and face a long, slow recovery accompanied by a mountain of medical bills.
Chances are you also know someone who was not able to shake the virus and who died either from it, or from an opportunistic secondary infection that took hold. As with many illnesses, COVID-19 is most deadly for those whose systems are already weakened through age or underlying medical conditions. It provides the straw that breaks the proverbial camel’s back putting people into an early grave.
Whatever your politics or pet conspiracy theory as to the origin of the virus, it is here and it is killing people in our communities. Healthcare workers can only do so much. It is imperative that all of us do our part as well.
One important step will be in making difficult, but healthy, choices during the holidays. Celebrating safely in many cases means celebrating virtually to protect friends and families from harm.
Everyone is tired of wearing masks. Everyone wants life to be normal again. In order for that to happen, everyone must do their part.
