TGH focused on present, while also preparing facility for future pandemics

Inside the infectious disease unit at TGH

It's been almost two years since COVID-19 arrived in this country. Meanwhile, the Tampa General Hospital has been on the front lines of the pandemic, treating patients while also researching and planning ahead.

TAMPA, Fla. - For more than a year, leaders at Tampa General Hospital's Global Emerging Diseases Institute have become well versed in COVID-19 and how to treat it. But they're also looking down the road.

"We're future-proofing and future planning for surge space. So the beds that are upon the third and fourth-floor building in surge capacity so that in future pandemics, we can go from the 26 beds that we have up to 56 and then, if need be up to 90 by utilizing some of the space on the first floor," said Steven Chew, the hospital's administrator of infectious disease.

The institute's medical director, Dr. Seetha Lakshmi, said right now, she's optimistic.

"Overall, people death rates, at least, so far, have been down. I think we are pretty safe to say we are in a stage where we call it endemic," she explained. "Endemic essentially means it's a balance between the immune system we have built up against the virus as a whole population and the mutations of the virus so it's a fine balance."

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She has two questions when those sick patients are admitted.

"When did the symptoms start and are you vaccinated? Because that helps me understand which way they're going to go," Dr. Lakshmi said. "So if you have had the vaccination and a booster, it's very likely more than 99% you're going to be able to go home right on the other side. If you're not, then we have to do a lot of things to help and see."

And there are other options.

"Right now, we're part of the program where we are able to give what medication called Evusheld to people with really poor immune systems as a prevention," Dr. Lakshmi said.

The second one is actually a medication called Sotrovimab.

"We use this for preventing people from getting really sick, especially at pregnant women who are unvaccinated, as well as a transplant and immunocompromised individuals," said Dr. Lakshmi.

And they've learned something with natural immunity.

"So, if you're vaccinated, and you still get COVID, your immune system is super high ramped up. And that's kind of one of the best protections that we are seeing as data more emerges. But the boosters, if you have a booster, it's a similar amount of efficacy," said Dr. Lakshmi.

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The work at the institute today could be significant for generations to come.

"This institute will be the place," she explained, "will build a program and have the skilled people to be able to handle any future threats that come our way and we'd be better prepared."