SMH: COVID patients are requiring longer stays in the hospital

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Sheridan County has had 4,476 lab confirmed cases, adding five in the last 24 hours. 

One new probable case has been added to the total of 1,378 probable cases in the last 24 hours.

There are now 64 cases of COVID-19 currently active in Sheridan County. 

According to COVID-19 Public Information Officer Jennifer Graves, there have been three cases of the virus that have recovered in the last 24 hours. 

Currently, there are six patients hospitalized in Sheridan County battling the virus. The county has experienced the deaths of 59 residents resulting from the virus.

During a leadership meeting, Sheridan Memorial Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Addlesperger told the public that medical officials at the hospital are concerned about the growing time frame required by patients of COVID-19 to recover from the virus. 

Addlesperger said over half of these patients are over the age of 60. The amount of new cases in Sheridan County has been on the decline, but in some cases the virus has proven so debilitating to a few patients they are unable to receive various treatments. 

Following guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as becoming vaccinated is still the best proven way to prevent contracting and spreading the virus.  

The SMH vaccination clinic will discontinue administering the Moderna vaccine, Addlesperger said. Citing the lack of demand for the pharmaceutical companies vaccine, the clinic will now only administer the Pfizer vaccine and booster shots on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning next week. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list Sheridan County’s level of community transmission as HIGH. 

More COVID-19 information is available at www.sheridancounty.com/covid-19/.