MADISON, Wis. — While coronavirus cases stabilize in Dane County, cases are continuing to surge in other places in the midwest.
Public Health Madison and Dane County’s latest data shows cases in our area have been stable over the last two weeks, but that’s not the case in Peoria, Illinois, which is seeing its highest number of COVID hospitalizations since the start of the pandemic last year.
That’s why local respiratory therapists from UnityPoint Health-Meriter are stepping in to offer their help. Several of the therapists based in Madison are now temporarily working at UnityPoint hospitals in Peoria to help with the influx of patients. They’ll work with nurses, physicians and other critical care staff to help provide treatments and equipment for people struggling to breathe.
“Our respiratory therapists have been tirelessly dedicated throughout our local COVID response, so to see them step up and volunteer to help another community in crisis is truly incredible,” UnityPoint Health-Meriter President and CEO Sue Erickson said.
Meriter also sent ventilators along with the respiratory therapists to make sure hospitals there had enough.
Meriter’s respiratory therapists are wrapping up their second week of a four-week stay at the Peoria hospitals. Right now, they’re helping care for about 130 people hospitalized in the Peoria area, where 23 people died of COVID in the last week.
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