Addlesperger Updates Hospital Board on Coronavirus

Sheridan Memorial Hospital staff will meet with county health officials Thursday and with officials at the Sheridan VA Medical Center on Friday in an ongoing effort to be ready to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

Dr. John Addlesperger, who’s Memorial Hospital’s chief medical officer, presented a coronavirus update to hospital trustees at their meeting Wednesday. He said the meeting at the VA will include a tabletop exercise to firm up response.

Addlesperger said a group of medical staff leaders on Monday discussed Wyoming Department of Health guidelines and procedures and identified some things that need to happen in dealing with coronavirus as well as hospital resources.

He said work is being done to get a hospital preparedness plan in place. He said the goal is to make sure that the hospital has everything needed to take care of those people who have coronavirus.

County Health Officer Dr. Ian Hunter, who is Memorial Hospital’s chief of staff, said Sheridan should have a pretty low risk of coronavirus.

He said this is a new type of coronavirus and the mortality from the disease worldwide appears to be around 2 or 3 percent. He said the best thing to do to avoid the spread of the disease is wash your hands.

Dr. Addlesperger said the people at greatest risk from the disease are those with compromised immune systems, chronic diseases and older people.