CLEVELAND — As COVID-19 cases in Northeast Ohio continue to surge, one health system is taking some extra measures.
On Monday, Summa Health announced that it is temporarily pausing all elective procedures that require an overnight stay. Summa says the decision will not impact is cancer-related care or any of its emergency services across its organization.
In addition, Summa Health says it has secured "multiple refrigerated trucks" in preparation for the possibility of needing additional capacity in its morgue.
Summa's ambulatory surgery sites will remain open and procedures not requiring an overnight stay will continue. "We will evaluate capacity on a weekly basis with the hope of bringing these cases back as quickly as possible. We understand the impact this has on our patients and their families and we apologize for any inconvenience," Summa Health told 3News in an email. They add that the ability to accept transfers from other hospitals is significantly limited and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
The growing concern about COVID, variants, and the impact on health care was made clear on Sunday as Summa Health participated in a full-page, joint statement in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The message was summed up in one word: “Help.”
The message from Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, MetroHealth, Summa Health, Cleveland VA Medical Center and St. Vincent Charity Medical Center comes as COVID cases surge throughout the country as both the delta and omicron variants continue spreading. The rest of the message read:
We need your help. We now have more COVID-19 patients in our hospitals than ever before. And the overwhelming majority are unvaccinated.
This is preventable. The best way to avoid serious illness is the vaccine. So, get vaccinated and get your booster. And keep taking all of the standard precautions like social distancing, washing your hands, and of course, mask up – even if you’re vaccinated. If you do feel sick, get tested for COVID-19 at your local pharmacy, urgent care or physician’s office. Not the Er. Then please encourage neighbors, friends and family to take all these steps, too.
We need you to care as much as we do.
More Coverage:
- Moderna says booster works against omicron; stocks fall after early spike
- Community COVID-19 testing site opening in Cleveland Tuesday
- COVID-19 in Ohio: State reports 8,082 new cases in the last 24 hours
- Northeast Ohio hospitals make plea for help as COVID cases surge: 'We need you to care as much as we do'
3News' Ryan Haidet contributed to this story