There will be no hospital beds available in northcentral Wisconsin by mid-December.
That was the grim message from all three healthcare groups in our region on Friday.
Representatives from Ascension, Marshfield Clinic, and Aspirus spoke during a panel discussion hosted by the Wausau Chamber of Commerce, WSAW, WAOW, Marathon County Health Department, DC Everest School District and Wausau School District.
“Currently modeling at the state level predicts with our current hospitalizations and new daily cases in our region we will essentially run out of beds mid-December," said Dr. Michael Clark, Emergency Department Physician and Medical Director for Ascension Wisconsin Spirit Medical Transport.
Representatives from Marshfield Clinic and Apsirus agreed with him.
“There will be more unnecessary suffering unless every member of the public recognizes that they need to change each of our personal behaviors. And I mean today, not after Thanksgiving, but today," said Ben Layman, Regional Chief Administrative Officer, Marshfield Clinic Health System Wausau/Weston Center.
Wausau area leaders joined the health care workers in urging the public to follow basic COVID-19 health guidelines. Limit your interactions within your household, wear a mask when you go out for essentials, and social distance.
“Our doctors, our nurses no longer feel like heroes. They don’t deserve this treatment. They feel like their communities have given up on shared civic responsibility," said Layman.
You can watch the panel discussion in its entirety below.
