Urgent care centers and emergency departments (EDs) in Cook Children’s Medical Centers in Fort Worth and Prosper, Texas, are grappling with a sudden surge in RSV, influenza, and COVID-19. According to the medical center’s website, the hospitals are overwhelmed, struggling to accommodate infants with severe RSV cases. Last week, of the more than 800 RSV tests conducted, 29% were positive, while COVID-19 positivity stood at 4%. The medical center’s urgent care centers see about 800 patients overall each day. The seasonal influx is causing crowded waiting rooms and extended wait times, which are anticipated to worsen during the peak respiratory illness season starting in December.
Do your part: Cook Children’s Medical Centers leaders are asking the community to reduce the stress on the system by understanding when it’s appropriate to call a child’s physician and when emergency care is the most appropriate option. They also emphasized the availability of virtual care to help avoid the spread of illness.