SARASOTA (WSNN) – The COVID-19 trends are going up across the nation and at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
President and CEO David Verinder says SMH has seen a rise in hospitalizations over the last several weeks.
But he says, the staff is ready to take care of the Suncoast if the surge comes back. They’re constantly ordering PPE and they have plenty on hand.
Verinder says Thanksgiving is going to be more difficult this year.
“We’re all going to have to make sure that we take care of our families, make sure that we don’t become a super spreader, make sure that we practice discipline within our own households,” Verinder said. “And let’s make sure we’re all around for more Thanksgivings to comes.”
He says the increase in infection rates may be due to the colder months, having our normal migration of snowbirds, and how people are getting lax with masks-wearing.
Nonetheless, Verinder says he feels like we’re on the better side of this pandemic than we were back in March.
“We certainly know a lot more than we knew back then,” Verinder said. “We have a vaccine coming out – multiple vaccines coming out – and I’m very hopeful that we can get back to some level normalcy in the next few months; I’m very much looking forward to that.”
If you’re afraid of going to the hospital, he wants to assure you this is one of the safest places you can be. They take temperatures, require masks, and are constantly disinfecting surfaces and spaces.
Verinder says you shouldn’t delay care if you’re ill or experiencing some health issues. You need to get treated.