Colorado hospitals this week deactivated what's called the "transfer center" for pediatric patients with respiratory illnesses, signaling the worst of the winter diseases may be over.
“This has been extremely challenging respiratory season, especially for pediatric patients, but our hospitals have started to see cases plateau,” Jeff Tieman, Colorado Hospital Association president and CEO, said in a statement.
Pediatric hospitals had been experiencing a record-breaking number of patients seeking care. In November, for example, Denver's Children’s Hospital Colorado officials redeployed patient care tents outside the emergency department to respond to the crush of young patients.
Medical experts had warned of a "tri-demic" overwhelming hospitals this season, but so far that scenario has not played out.
The number of Children’s Hospital patients seeking care — on average — this season was 30% higher than the busiest of days in a typical season, officials have said.
To help respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, Colorado’s hospitals and health systems partnered with Colorado Hospital Association to create a Combined Hospital Transfer Center (CHTC).
The transfer center was activated on Nov. 9 to respond to the triple threat of respiratory illnesses — COVID-19, seasonal flu and RSV — posed to the state’s youngest residents.
Statewide, nearly 1,900 patients have been hospitalized with RSV since Oct. 1, according to the latest Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment data. None of these hospitalizations resulted in a pediatric death.
RSV — or Respiratory Syncytial Virus — is a common respiratory disease that can be serious for the very young and old, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).
Denver County this year saw a nearly 60% increase in RSV hospitalizations over last season, Denver Department of Public Health and Environment data shows.
RSV infections significantly declined during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic because of masking and social distancing. Experts have blamed the recent spike on children's lack of exposure to RSV pathogen, which historically will infect nearly all children before the age of 2, according to the CDC.
“Colorado hospitals are prepared to employ our capacity management tools, including the CHTC, if we face another surge,” Tieman said.
