A Letter to the Community on the State of the Omicron Variant and Our Emergency Department

For the past several weeks, Emergency Departments across the state and the country have been at critical capacity due in large part to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. If you need to visit the Milford Regional Medical Center Emergency Department, you will likely notice that it is overflowing and that our waiting room is full. 

We know the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly, particularly in the wake of holiday gatherings. We know that people want to be tested due to illness or out of responsibility to others, and we know that the availability of rapid tests and PCR tests is struggling to meet that demand. 

We tell you this not to deter you from seeking medical attention or to avoid emergency care when you need it. Our focus, no matter how busy we are, is to care for our community, and we encourage you not to ignore your symptoms or avoid emergency care when needed. However, there are some important things our community can do to help us – and each other:

• Do not visit our Emergency Department for routine COVID testing or for mild symptoms. We need to keep our Emergency Department available for those who are sickest and or become suddenly and unexpectedly ill.
• Get vaccinated and get your booster. 
• If you feel sick, isolate per CDC guidelines; get tested for COVID at a designated COVID-19 test site or with an at-home test.
• Wear a mask around others, even if you are vaccinated, and continue to socially distance.

By working through this together, we can avoid an overburdened healthcare system and ensure that medical resources are available for those who need it most.

Peter B. Smulowitz, MD, MPH

Chief Medical Officer

Milford Regional Medical Center

Jeffrey B. Hopkins, MD, FACEP

Director of Emergency Services

Milford Regional Medical Center