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Houston hospitals looking to keep patients, staff safe from COVID-19 with vaccine boosters
Healthcare workers have continued to risk their own lives to save others, which is why the Houston Methodist CEO called a federal advisory panel vote not to approve booster shots for them a slap in the face. However, on Friday morning the CDC's director overruled that decision.
HOUSTON - On Friday, the CDC's director announced the expansion of who should get a COVID-19 booster to include healthcare workers.
"It was absolutely the right decision by Dr. [Rochelle] Walensky," said Dr. Marc Boom, CEO, Houston Methodist. "I applaud her."
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Dr. Boom points to data from Israel which suggests a booster help with infection, not just severe illness.
"We need to keep them safe and keep them from getting infected because we have a sacred obligation to care for our patients and keep our patients safe," he added. "We also want zero infections because we want to keep the workforce in place caring for the community. We have staffing shortages around the country."
Shortages compounded by overwhelming COVID-19 hospitalizations, especially during the delta surge. Since August 1, about 9,000 Texans died from COVID-19 and for more than a month, hospitalizations exceed 10,000 a day.
"[Houston Methodist] spent 26 days straight above the previous record we had set this winter," Dr. Boom told FOX 26.
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Last winter, Houston Methodist peaked at 731 hospitalizations in a day. Last month, the peak was 837 in a day.
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"We're down almost 30 percent from the peak but, let's be clear, that's almost 600 patients in the hospital system still."
Boom takes pride in Houston Methodist being the first hospital in the country to mandate the COVID-19 for its employees.