Coronavirus hospitalizations continue to decrease in Virginia

A decrease in coronavirus related hospitalizations seems too good to be true without a vaccine, yet that where Virginia is trending.

The numbers of cases in Virginia were previously increasing daily by the hundreds and even thousands according to charts form the Virginia Department of Health. Now, case numbers are increasing only by double digits.

“Without a vaccine, we are heavily reliant on nonpharmaceutical interventions, or community intervention strategies, to slow the spread of the virus… Simply put, over the past few months people had less close contact with others, which gave the virus less opportunities to spread through the community,” said Allison Balmes-John, Rappahannock Area Health District (RAHD) Public Information Officer.

While coronavirus hospitalizations are decreasing, winter concerns of sudden spikes may increase those statistics once again.

“Much remains unknown about COVID-19, but current research does not seem to suggest we will see a decrease in summer due to the warm weather.  There are concerns that in the winter we will see both COVID-19 and seasonal flu, which could put added strains on our healthcare systems,” Balmes-John states.

There is much uncertainty about whether cases will continue to decrease, especially during the times where businesses are beginning to open up services again. RAHD continues to monitor the amounts of cases every day to get a better understanding of how the disease spreads and where it is present.

“At this time, we do know that the virus is still present in the community and continues to spread. We are still urging the public to practice social distancing and wear masks when in public, and to wash or sanitize your hands frequently. For those who may be at higher risk for severe illness, it is still recommended to stay home as much as possible,” Balmes-John informs.

Brand Engagement and Communications Advisor of Sentara Hospital of Woodbridge, Susan Bahorich, explains that their hospital’s nurses and doctors will always be available for whatever happens whether emergency due to coronavirus or otherwise.

“We are committed to always keeping our patients, employees and community members safe… At this time, Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center has adequate PPE supplies for now,” Bahorich states.

The hospital is still taking donations of PPE such as masks, nitrile gloves, impervious gowns, disposable shoe covers, fog-free face shields, and googles.

To continue flattening the curve and the number of coronavirus hospitalizations, Balmes-John encourages proper social distancing and that people stay home if they are sick.  Even mild symptom sufferers that are commonly seen in most coronavirus cases need to stay home as they can possibly spread the disease to someone vulnerable to severe symptoms.

“The virus is still here in our community, and as we continue toward reopening we must do our parts to keep one another safe and healthy,” Balmes-John states.

As of May 25, the total number of cases in Prince William County is 4,702, with 423 hospitalized, and 94 deaths, according to Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) statistic charts.

In Stafford County there are 599 cases, 68 hospitalizations, and 4 deaths.