As America struggles to manage the COVID-19 crisis, healthcare workers are being pushed to the edge.
In many states, COVID positive healthcare workers are continuing to work. State health officials say this occurs because of critically low staffing levels at hospitals and nursing homes across the state.
“A lot of hospital systems simply don’t have the staff because people are out with COVID themselves, diagnosed, and isolating themselves,” says Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN chief medical correspondent.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services data, more than 145,000 people nationwide are currently hospitalized with COVID-19. Federal officials urge the public to get vaccinated or boosted as soon as possible.
“The Omicron variant again emphasizes the importance of vaccinations and boosters, which decrease the risk of infection, severe disease, and death caused by COVID-19,” shared Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
