Polk County COVID-19 hospitalizations at all-time high

(Des Moines, IA) – Today, Saturday, November 14, 2020, Polk County has 204 COVID-19 hospitalizations. This is the highest number of hospitalizations Polk County has seen throughout the pandemic. We cannot stress enough how alarming and urgent the situation has become for hospitals and their health care workers.

Staffing is one of the biggest challenges facing Polk County hospitals. We are seeing an increasing number of medical staff out with COVID-19 or isolating at home, and because of this, adequate hospital and clinic staffing remains an issue for our community. Please remember to keep our health care providers safe and healthy. They have been fighting this virus and taking care of patients since March. They are tired both physically and mentally. Help us keep them safe by following COVID-19 prevention strategies.

Our hospitals are very full with COVID-19 patients but we are still accepting patients. If you need to be seen by a health care professional, do not hesitate to call 911 or seek medical attention at any of our hospitals and clinics. We are still available to meet your health care needs. Emergencies happen and we are here for you.

A big thank you to our partnership with rural hospitals. They are helping take care of our COVID-19 patients. We cannot fight this virus without them. Thank you.

We are pleading with the community to help us slow down the spread of the virus. Please follow COVID-19 prevention strategies: wear your mask, social distance, stay home when sick, and get your flu shot. The decisions we make have consequences and those could be dire. Please do your part and slow the spread of COVID-19 in Polk County.

For COVID-19 information, please visit the Polk County Health Department’s COVID-19 website.

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