Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is directing hospitals to focus on staffing pediatric ICUs and prepare for pediatric surge operations, as the RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) rates continue to spike here and nationwide, primarily affecting young children.
Hogan said today the state is preparing for potential surges in fall and winter COVID-19 and flu, alongside RSV. Experts told ABC News that the U.S. may be facing the threat of a "tripledemic" as fall and winter set in.
Children’s National Hospital in D.C. was nearing capacity as of last week, and some hospitals in Maryland are reporting higher cases and some are at capacity for pediatric beds.
The state said in a press release today:
"RSV hospitalizations are increasing earlier and more rapidly than in previous years, with the 0-2 age group comprising 57% of hospitalizations."
Hogan's administration is directing hospitals to put $25 million in state funds that they got earlier this month toward hiring and recruiting more staff. Facilities with pediatric beds should also prioritize staffing those units first, and all hospitals are "strongly urged" to work with each other on pediatric patient care.
The state's new critical care coordination center, developed during COVID, will also expand to include pediatric surge operations. Hogan's office said this move will increase capacity statewide and better facilitate transferring children to available beds in hospitals statewide, as well as Children’s National Medical Center in D.C.
A new "Flooster" ad campaign will launch next week to continue encouraging Marylanders to get their COVID and flu shots simultaneously. Hogan's office notes more than 710,000 Marylanders have gotten the COVID bivalent booster so far.
Hogan said in a statement:
“After meeting with our multi-agency public health task force yesterday and reviewing all of the data, I am announcing these steps to give our hospitals more tools to expand bed capacity for pediatric patients. We also continue to encourage Marylanders to be COVIDReady, so that we remain one of the most vaccinated and boosted states, and stay ahead of the virus.”
