Willis-Knighton hospitals in Shreveport and Bossier City are at full capacity at all four of its acute care hospitals. Dozens of patients are waiting for beds that are just not available.

Chief Administrative Officer for Willis Knighton Health Systems Brian Crawford says the majority of the COVID patients they are seeing are not vaccinated. He says they are also younger and healthier and include pregnant women and children. Crawford says Willis-Knighton has more than 85 COVID patients in its hospitals right now. That compares to just 8 COVID patients 6 weeks ago.

Crawford says they are also facing a crisis with health care workers. He says there are at least 40 nurses out with COVID.

KEEL News asked Crawford how these numbers compare to the peak we saw just after Christmas. He says Willis Knighton saw a max of 157 COVID patients in January, but he says we did not have this critical shortage of staff during that time.

He also tells us 90% of the current COVID patients are unvaccinated. The other 10% are breakthrough cases that do need medical attention. Crawford says 20% of all emergency room visits right now are COVID related.

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