COVID patient rolls at Ballad Health hospitals could grow 700 within two weeks

Ballad Health Chief Operating Officer Eric Deaton says the highest percentage of COVID patients in their intensive care units and on ventilators are unvaccinated.

The healthcare system’s medical centers are currently treating 408 patients for the virus with emergency room space at capacity and Deaton says within the next two weeks patient loads could rise as high as 692—over double the cases at the first COVID peak in the winter.

Speakers at Thursday’s briefing continued to stress getting vaccinated and undergoing monoclonal antibody infusion—a 20-minute process that people age 12 and older can take to combat COVID. More than 300 treatments were administered last week at clinics in Kingsport and Johnson City.

(IMAGE: Associated Press)