TYLER, Texas — As East Texas hits the highest number of hospitalizations in the region since the beginning of the pandemic, it's important to know the symptoms of COVID-19 that need immediate medical treatment.
Many cases are moderate and can be recovered from at home without medical care, but COVID-19 can be a deadly disease, and symptoms that need immediate care can come on quickly.
Here are the warning signs that someone needs to seek emergency medical care immediately:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone
Please note these are not all possible symptoms. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention asks that you call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you. If you are sent home from the hospital, experts encourage you to monitor your symptoms and return if they worsen.
The Texas Department of Health and Safety is tracking hospitalizations as the Delta Variant sweeps through Texas amid the fourth wave. The East Texas region is currently split into two Trauma Service Areas, G and H.
In Area G, there are only 13 ICU beds left, and 26.3% of hospitalizations are COVID-19 related. Longview, which is in trauma area G, is setting up a triage center outside their hospital to help as hospitals become overwhelmed.
There are currently three ICU beds available in Area H, and COVID-19 hospitalizations make up 33.5% of the total.
The best protection against COVID-19 is prevention. The CDC and World Health Organization both strongly recommend wearing masks and social distancing for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
On Monday, August 26, the Pfizer vaccine received full FDA approval. Find a COVID-19 vaccination clinic here.
Breakthrough cases have been reported for those who are vaccinated. If you are sick and have moderate symptoms, stay home unless you are leaving for medical care. Isolate yourself from others; COVID-19 is highly communicable and contagious.