MMH: More Than 250 COVID Patients Have Been Admitted in Past Five Months

ER volumes remain high at MMH. Asymptomatic patients and those with mild illness should refrain from using the ER for COVID testing.

(Batesville, Ind.) - Over the past five months, more than 250 patients have been admitted to the hospital for COVID-19. The vast majority (85%) were not vaccinated. While vaccination against COVID-19 cannot guarantee an individual will not contract the virus, it significantly decreases their risk for infection, hospitalization and death. If you are eligible to receive your vaccine booster shot, please consider doing so. This is important as emerging evidence shows vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infections can decrease over time due to the combination of decreasing protection as time passes since getting vaccinated as well as the greater infectiousness of the new variants.

Inpatient Care: We currently have 27 patients on our Med Surg floor, with 3 of those patients in our Special Care Unit. Fifteen of our patients are Covid+ (positive). 

ER:  Our ER volumes are still very high, resulting in much longer wait times than normal. We understand this can be frustrating, but please know our teams are working hard and as quickly as possible to see every patient who needs care. We recommend for asymptomatic patients or those with mild illness to refrain from using the ER for COVID-19 testing.  COVID-19 testing in the ER is being limited to those patients most likely being admitted to the hospital.

Testing: Unfortunately, the number of patients testing positive for COVID-19 has increased this week, with 33.5% of patients (115 in total) testing positive. Those who need to be tested for Covid-19 should contact their primary care provider for an outpatient test to be completed through our lab or schedule an appointment at a local testing site through coronavirus.in.gov.

Vaccination: Vaccine appointments for everyone ages 5 and older can be scheduled Monday - Friday at the MMH Occupational Health and Wellness Center in Batesville at 812.932.5105. Vaccine appointments can also be made Monday – Friday at the Margaret Mary Health Center in Brookville at 765.647.5126. Walk-ins are also welcome in Brookville.