DELAWARE- Delaware Governor John Carney declared a state of emergency on March 13, 2020.
It had 27 modifications including mandates, statewide vaccine and testing programs, and other rules. That emergency was terminated on July 13 of this year.
With 2022 hours away, another state of emergency is coming to ease the burden faced on the state's hospitals by activating the National Guard into long-term care facilities.
On Thursday, Governor Carney said a lockdown and mandates are not necessary right now.
"Our need to balance the need for quarantine and protecting the need for the economy and the world to operate," Carney said. "We just don't have the tools that we had two years ago to shut everything down again."
The governor is able to extend the State of Emergency for thirty days at a time and can make amendments as needed.
But state republican leaders are hoping this is only a temporary measure. The Republican Caucus released a statement Friday:
We have no doubt that the Delaware National Guard will provide much needed assistance to combat COVID-19 within our hospitals. We thank those in service for continuing to step up to the plate and providing aid where needed.
We do, however, urge Governor Carney to immediately rescind the order once the situation in our hospitals improve. We oppose any possible implementation of mandates like what we saw nearly two years ago, such as a statewide face-covering order and capacity limits in businesses and restaurants.
Hospitals are preparing for the relief that the State of Emergency will bring. TidalHealth Nanticoke President Penny Short says right now some discharged patients have nowhere to go for more care.
"Several of the long-term care facilities are closed to taking patients either because of lack of staffing or some is because of an outbreak they had with that," Short said.
Bayhealth Senior Vice President & Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gary Siegelman says the new order will help move COVID patients a bit faster to where they can get more support and immediate care.
"It will help get those discharges somewhat earlier maybe a few days, it just depends," Dr. Siegelman said. "But that means there's an acute care bed for someone else that has it whether it be COVID, whether it be pneumonia, or whatever condition it might be."
Beebe Healthcare changed its visitation policy due to the surge. Starting January 1, inpatients will be allowed one visitor, not including clergy members, from 2-7 p.m. per day. Also, visitors are required to wear surgical masks.
No need to panic and no need to stay locked down but the state is using its resources to fight this winter C
