CentraCare

CentraCare has lost more than 1,000 employees in the past year due to various reasons. That according to CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris.

CentraCare is asking for the community's help to try to ease the stress on the emergency room at St. Cloud Hospital.

CentraCare has more than 100 positive COVID-19 patients this week. More than 80 of those are at St. Cloud hospital. These numbers are up slightly from last week where numbers were 97 within CentraCare and 70 at St. Cloud Hospital.

CentraCare is now taking appointments for patients eligible for the COVID-19 booster shots.

The number of COVID-19 positive patients within CentraCare hospitals in Central Minnesota continue to be high. CentraCare Spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON today.

An annual central Minnesota fundraiser is changing formats this year.

CentraCare issued a vaccine mandate for employees in August. CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON this week. He said in the past week they started the vaccination process of another 120 employees bringing their total vaccination numbers to just under 80% of their staff vaccinated.

Pfizer has already received FDA authorization to administer COVID-19 boosters or 3rd doses to eligible individuals. CentraCare Spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON. He expects Moderna to received authorization as early as late next week with Johnson and Johnson to likely receive approval soon after that.

CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris says CentraCare and St. Cloud Hospital is "at capacity for all patients". Morris says they have approximately the same amount of COVID-19 patients within CentraCare and at St. Cloud Hospital as they had last week but with all other non COVID-19 care needs they just don't have the beds or enough staff to handle the pressure they are facing due to COVID.

CentraCare and St. Cloud Hospital continue to see a surge of positive COVID-19 patients. CentraCare Spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON. He says they have 87 positive COVID-19 patients throughout CentraCare with 66 of them at St. Cloud Hospital.