LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Gatherings and travel following Thanksgiving have doctors worried COVID-19 cases will drastically spike in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
"Families, friends, acquaintances have spent time together and now someone has tested positive," Deborah Hutts, the clinical services manager at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences said.
Hutts said hundreds were already at UAMS trying to get tested Monday following the holiday week.
"We're on track to do 100 to 200 more than our normal Monday volume," she said.
Her team was taking calls over the weekend from people who believe they may have been exposed at family Thanksgiving gatherings.
"They're wondering what is their risk? When should they be tested?" she said.
Hutts recommends waiting five days from the day you were exposed to get a test.
So, if you came into contact with someone on Thanksgiving, get tested on Tuesday, Dec. 1. She anticipates a lot more people trying to get tested leading up to Christmas.
"So, we have increased some of our staffing metrics over the weekend going into this week. We're trying to make certain we have enough providers to screen everyone," Hutts said.
Arkansas Secretary of Health Dr. Jose Romero pleaded very sternly in front of the Arkansas Legislative Committee on Monday, warning the latest surge will be a result of Thanksgiving travel.
"I think you all need to have a realistic view of what's going to happen in the next few weeks. We are about to enter a surge upon a surge," he said. "We have seen as much travel as we did last year, this year. That is a harbinger of the possible surge and we have yet to enter Christmas or New Year's."
Hutts said this could put a damper on hospitals. UAMS is already looking at putting two patients in one room in the ICU, something that's never been done before.
"If we get to the point where there's no bed or we have a bed that we can share, that's exactly what we'll have to do," she said.
Hutts recommends being cautious of where you go in the next few weeks. If you need a test, UAMS is open to the public for screening during the week from 8 until 4:30 and until noon on the weekends.