JACKSON, Miss.–The state’s largest hospital and trauma center, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, usually takes the transfer patients from smaller hospitals across the state. But, they’ve been jammed up with COVID patients themselves. Now they’ve opened a second field hospital in the parking garage next to the children’s hospital.
That opens up new beds and may provide some room for people who need advanced care.
“These hospitals are designed for overseas use. We never thought we’d be doing this in the U.S.,” said Edward Graham, with Samaritan’s Purse, the organization assisting with the temporary hospital. “Our neighbors here in Mississippi have called and asked for it and we’ve responded.”
UMMC’s vice chancellor, Dr. Louann Woodward said in a Tuesday news conference that people who have refused to get vaccinated have put a strain on Mississippi hospitals.
“We do not have to be here. But, this is where we are. Our healthcare work force all across the state is traumatized. We are in trouble.”
She encouraged everyone to get vaccinated.
>70k doses last week. Keep it up MS! 97% of Delta cases are in unvaccinated. pic.twitter.com/SYn5ebbzFf
— thomas dobbs (@TCBPubHealth) August 16, 2021
State health officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs Tweeted that more people are doing that, saying that Mississippians have gotten 70,000 doses since last week.
