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Public health officials and doctors are warning of a new trend: People under 40 are now the sickest COVID-19 patients on ventilators.
Those patients can be as young as 18 years old, according to doctors from Omaha hospitals and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, who hosted a news conference on Wednesday afternoon.
Dr. Matt Donahue, acting state epidemiologist, said state data show some obvious facts like unvaccinated people being hospitalized at a far greater rate. But there’s also facts like this: “Young unvaccinated 30-year olds are being hospitalized at similar rates as vaccinated individuals over 80," he said.
To Donahue, that’s a striking statistic but also proves a point.
“That’s proof that younger people have a lot to benefit from vaccinations," he said.
As of Tuesday, 555 Nebraskans were hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the state's dashboard. That’s an increase of 42 beds from one week ago. These numbers are similar to those seen about one year ago right before the pandemic reached its highest levels in the state.
The difference between now and then is what's happening at these hospitals. One year ago, hospitals canceled elective surgeries and devoted a majority of its resources to solely treating COVID. Now, regular activities have resumed, and that’s putting extra strain on hospitals.
“Our ability to take on these types of cases is just not what it once was," said Dr. Brian Boer, the section chief of critical care medicine at Nebraska Medicine. “We can't do it. We do it because it's our job, but it's getting old."
It's disheartening to Boer when a majority of new patients are unvaccinated.
This isn’t the first time someone like Boer has spoken out about this problem. It’s been a months-long issue.
Across the state, hospital bed availability has increased a little over the last half of November. ICU availability statewide in mid-November dropped to single digits. Now, it’s risen to 13%.
For Boer, though, the outlook isn’t promising especially when he tries to convince unvaccinated Nebraskans to roll up their sleeves.
"I feel like if I say it one more time, maybe they'll get vaccinated," he said. "But we all know that's not gonna happen. I hope so. But sorry to be the pessimist. But if you haven't gotten the message yet, it's, it's looking bleak for all of us.”
This news from the hospitals comes as cases are actually declining across the state and are down 12% from two weeks ago, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s a drop from about 880 cases per day to about 770.
Cases in south central Nebraska, however, are rising. The South Heartland District Health Department, based in Hastings, reported in a news release on Tuesday climbing cases and six additional deaths this week. And just like in Omaha, hospitals in the South Heartland District are also seeing more COVID patients.
Dr. Adam Wells, ICU medical director at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, said he just has one ask for those unvaccinated patients.
“Own your decision," he said, adding that he wants those unvaccinated to trust the healthcare staff taking care of them. "We're not trying to trick you at this point," Wells said. "We're just trying to help people and help each other.”
Throughout the state, vaccinations have dropped off in the past week. Right now, about 2,700 Nebraskans on average get a shot each day. Because of boosters that number was higher and stood around 4,000 in mid-November.