Memorial Hospital doctors see a major decline in COVID cases

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The emergency room at Memorial Health was once packed with COVID-19 patients, but the major decline in cases gives ER doctors a sigh of relief.

“It was exciting. It was exhilarating.”

Moral remains high today as the hospital only has three cases.

“Everybody’s starting to feel, again, gleeful from the aspect of just not having the patients. You can even see it translating to the patients. The patients come in and how much better they feel about their lives and the world we live in today.”

The hospital celebrated zero COVID cases two days in a row last week for the first time in more than 730 days.

“It lasted about two days. We never let our guard down. We did everything we can to make sure. We were still testing and making sure no one was going unfound from COVID, but it was definitely a triumphant moment after two years of COVID,” Jay Goldstein, Emergency Director said.

As we continue to navigate the virus, a second booster is in discussion and awaiting approval by the FDA as Dr. Stephen Thacker at Memorial says it’s proven helpful in other countries.

Pfizer is pushing for approval for people at a higher risk.

“And in the case of Moderna, really anyone who has received their vaccine and is more than five months out from their last dose recognizing the experience that Israel has had that there was evidence in an additional dose help protect those most at risk from landing in the hospital or being significantly in harm if they have break through infection,” Dr. Stephen Thacker, Memorial Health’s Associate Chief Medical Officer said.

Pfizer and Moderna are expected to meet with the FDA next week.

Moderna also plans to submit their clinic trial findings for approval of their low dose shot for kids ages 6 months to under 6 years of age in coming weeks.

Dr. Thacker says we should know whether a year around vaccine similar to the flu shot is necessary by the end of this year.

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