ICUs seeing relief as COVID-19 pandemic wanes

As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to drop in Minnesota, the feeling in Intensive Care units is one of huge relief.

COON RAPIDS, Minn. (FOX 9) - As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to drop in Minnesota, the feeling in Intensive Care units is one of huge relief. And likely none more profound that at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids.

"It’s a total game-changer," Dr. Matthew Klee, the Mercy ICU director, told FOX 9. "It’s a breath of fresh air!"

Dr. Klee says Mercy Hospital has treated more COVID patients during the course of the pandemic than any other hospital in Minnesota. But in the past few weeks, the number of COVID patients in their ICU has dropped to zero – none. And they haven’t been able to say that since the pandemic began.

"For us, it’s almost like being back to normal," Dr. Klee said. "We’re able to step back, have time to actually fully evaluate our patients and communicate with our patients and our families. We have time to take care of ourselves. We have room in the ICU to be taking care of all the surgical cases that have been waiting for months and months and months."

The Minnesota Department of Health reported Friday that the total number of COVID-19 hospitalizations across all Minnesota hospitals stood at 313. Less than 40 are in ICU – a number that hasn’t been that low since August.

The change is also reflected in Allina Health’s staffing. Two months ago, Allina says they had 1,300 employees out sick. As of Friday, they had 35. That also contributes to the sense of relief.

But intensive care units are still busy, despite the COVID drop.

Elective surgeries, which had to wait, have now picked up and there’s a huge backlog to get through. And there is still guarded feelings about the pandemic, which could still bring another surge or another new variant.

"This trajectory looks great," Dr. Klee said. "We’re feeling very optimistic about the future, but we don’t know. Next month there could be a new wave, there could be something else that comes through and until we get some sustained relief from COVID it’s hard to be fully relaxed about the future."

But for now, after two years of even more intensity in intensive care, the change feels good.

"It’s an unbelievable difference," he said with a smile.