'Here we go again': Doctors, nurses concerned about delta variant, fear hospitals will be strained

JOEY: ROB, JULIE, DAILY CASE COUNTS IN DOUGLAS COUNTY ARE THE HIGHEST WE’VE SEEN IN MONTHS. COVID NURSE BETHANN WINEGAR SAYS THE RESURGENCE IN CASES COMES WITHOUT A RESURGENCE IN PUBLIC DILIGENCE OR SUPPORT FOR FRONTLINE WORKS.ER>> IT’S JUST, LIKE, HERE WE GO AGAIN. JOEY: BETHANN WENIGER IS EXHAUSTED. >> THE TOLL THAT IT’S TAKING, IS UNREAL. IT’S HEART-WRENCHING, IT’S BACK BREAKING, IT’S MENTALLY EXHAUSTI.NG JOEY: THE ICU NURSE SAYS NEBRASKA MED HAD THREE COVID PATIENTS IN EARLY JU.LY NOW, THAT NUMBER IS UP TEN FOLD. >> IT’S HEART BREAKING, BECAEUS I FEEL LIKE IT’S PREVENTABLE. JOEY: DOCTOR JAMES LAWLER WITH UNMC DONEMSTRATES WHY THE DELTA VARIANT IS SO DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT PRODUCES MORE OFFSPRING CELLS THAN THE ORIGINAL STRAIN. >> WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WITH THE DELTA VARIANT CAN SHED UP TO 1,000 TIMES MORORE THE AMOUNT OF VIRUS FROM THEINOR SE AND RESPIRATORY EPITHELIUM THAN WITH THE PREVIOUS VIR.US JOEY: DR. LAWLER SAYS THE HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DELTA VARIANT, WHICH YOU CAN SEE HERE, HIGHJACKS HEALTHY CELLS, CREATING MORE AND MORE INFECTION. >> A WAY TO PREVENT THE VISRU FROM GAINING ENTRY ARE THESE THINGS, WHICH ARE ANTIBODIES. JOEY: AND LAWLER SAYS THOSE ANTIBODIES ARE STRONGER ENWH THEY COME FROM A VACCINE, NOT NATURAL INEFCTION. >> I THINK GETTING THE VUSIR IS WAY MORE RISKY THAN GETTING THE VACCINE. AND BY THE TIME THAT A L OFOT PEOPLERE A REALIZING THAT, IT’S TOO LA.TE JOEY: WENIGAR FEARS THE ICU WILL BE STRAINED FOR RESOURCES, AS DELTA PERSIS.TS >> WE HAVE A LOT OF AMAZING PEOPLE, BUT I’M WORRIED THAT IT’S NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH. THAT WE AREN’T GOING TO HEAV ENOUGH PEOPLE, THAT WE AREN'’ GONNA HAVE THE RESOURCES, THAT WE’RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF BEDS. JOEY: BOTH LAWLER AND WINEGAR SAY THEY’RE SEEING MORE YOUNG AND MIDDLE AGED PEOPLE WHORE A FALLING SERIOUYSL ILL OR DYING THAN THEY DID EARLIER IN THE PANDEMIC. THEY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO’S ELIGIBLE TO T GEVACCINAT

Animations revealed this week from the University of Nebraska Medical Center show how the delta variant infects an otherwise healthy cell. In Douglas County, Nebraska, positive COVID-19 cases are the highest they’ve been in months. ICU nurse Bethann Weniger says the resurgence in cases comes without a resurgence in public diligence and support for front-line workers. "It's just like, here we go again," Weniger said. "The toll that it's taking is unreal. It's heart-wrenching, it's back-breaking, it's mentally exhausting.”Weniger said Nebraska Medicine had three COVID-19 patients in early July. Now, that number has increased tenfold. "It's heartbreaking, because I feel like it's preventable,” Winegar said. Dr. James Lawler with UNMC said the delta variant is so dangerous because it produces more offspring cells than the original strain. "We know that people with delta variant can shed up to 1,000 times or more the amount of virus from their nose and respiratory epithelium than with the previous virus," Lawler saidLawler and Weniger both urge unvaccinated people to get inoculated."A way to prevent the virus from gaining entry are these things, which are antibodies,” Lawler said. He added antibodies are stronger when they come from a vaccine, not a natural infection. Weniger said people in the ICU express regret that they did not get vaccinated. "I think getting the virus is way more risky than getting the vaccine. And by the time that a lot of people are realizing that, it's too late,” Winegar said. Weniger fears the hospital will be strained for resources as delta persists. "We have a lot of amazing people, but I'm worried that it's not going to be enough. That we aren't going to have enough people, that we aren't gonna have the resources, that we're going to run out of beds," Weniger said.

Animations revealed this week from the University of Nebraska Medical Center show how the delta variant infects an otherwise healthy cell.

In Douglas County, Nebraska, positive COVID-19 cases are the highest they’ve been in months. ICU nurse Bethann Weniger says the resurgence in cases comes without a resurgence in public diligence and support for front-line workers.

"It's just like, here we go again," Weniger said. "The toll that it's taking is unreal. It's heart-wrenching, it's back-breaking, it's mentally exhausting.”

Weniger said Nebraska Medicine had three COVID-19 patients in early July. Now, that number has increased tenfold.

"It's heartbreaking, because I feel like it's preventable,” Winegar said.

Dr. James Lawler with UNMC said the delta variant is so dangerous because it produces more offspring cells than the original strain.

"We know that people with delta variant can shed up to 1,000 times or more the amount of virus from their nose and respiratory epithelium than with the previous virus," Lawler said

Lawler and Weniger both urge unvaccinated people to get inoculated.

"A way to prevent the virus from gaining entry are these things, which are antibodies,” Lawler said.

He added antibodies are stronger when they come from a vaccine, not a natural infection.

Weniger said people in the ICU express regret that they did not get vaccinated.

"I think getting the virus is way more risky than getting the vaccine. And by the time that a lot of people are realizing that, it's too late,” Winegar said.

Weniger fears the hospital will be strained for resources as delta persists.

"We have a lot of amazing people, but I'm worried that it's not going to be enough. That we aren't going to have enough people, that we aren't gonna have the resources, that we're going to run out of beds," Weniger said.

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