Carilion prepared for increasing hospitalizations

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - As hospitalizations in Roanoke rise into the double digits for the first time since May, leaders with Carilion Clinic say the hospital is more prepared this time around for a surge, but many on staff are frustrated knowing there doesn’t have to be one.

Infectious Diseases physician Dr. Paul Skolnik, the Chair of Medicine at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine who is helping lead the region’s COVID-19 response, says the Delta variant is believed to be the main strain in Virginia, accounting for upwards of 80% of new cases.

90% of patients hospitalized at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital are not vaccinated.

To test this, Dr. Skolnik says there are three main types of tests used for patients with COVID-19. Two of them are types of PCR tests.

The CDC’s latest announcement discontinuing the CDC’s RT-PCR test was a lesser-used test that Dr. Skolnik says was never used in the area.

The antigen tests are less sensitive to the virus but are less useful in detecting the virus in those without symptoms.

“All the PCR tests we use detect the Delta variant,” says Dr. Skolnik. “To know whether it’s the delta variant, we then have to go on and actually sequence, meaning know the exact order of the parts of RNA that make up that virus.”

Experts say there have already been reported cases of vaccinated people contracting the Delta variant.

“The good news is, if you’ve been vaccinated you are very unlikely to get severely ill or be hospitalized. However, you are capable of transmitting the delta variant to others who might be at risk for severe disease or unvaccinated.”

Dr. Skolnik says it is critical for more people to be vaccinated so surges are less common, and other variants that might be even more severe and able to overcome the vaccines we currently have do not spread.

He says the CDC guidance to include masking for everyone, vaccinated or unvaccinated, at indoor public places, is an effort to slow transmission best as possible.

Dr. Skolnik says Carilion is prepared to handle another surge, with sufficient staff, and much more PPE, and hospital beds compared to last year.

“I will say that the healthcare workers are discouraged seeing this surge because we know it’s preventable,” adds Dr. Skolnik. “We don’t want to see people in the hospital. We don’t want people to say to us ‘Can you give me the vaccine?’ when it’s too late, when they’re already sick.”

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