>>> BACK WITH THE
SURGE IN COVID AND FLU
CASES WE HAVE BEEN
SEWN LATELY, PUTTING
INCREASING PRESSURE ON
HOSPITALS AND THE
STAFF WHO CARE FOR
PATIENTS.
>> Reporter: AT INO
V.A. HOSPITAL IN
VIRGINIA THE WORK IS
NEVER OVER.
>> SEEING A LOT MORE
FLU, COVID, A LOT MORE
RSV.
SO IT JUST SEEMS LIKE
IT NEVER ENDS.
>> Reporter: IN THE
PAST TWO WEEKS, COVID
CASES HAVE INCREASED
19D% NATIONWIDE.
THIS AS THREE OMICRON
SUBVARIANTS NOW MAKE
UP NEARLY 90% OF COVID
CASES ACROSS NEW
ENGLAND WITH NEW
JERSEY SEEING HIGH
TRANSMISSION LEVELS IN
ALL COUNTIES.
ALL AS HOSPITALS
GRAPPLE WITH THIS
SEASON’S INFLUX OF FLU
AND RSV.
>> IN THE LAST FEW
MONTHS WHEN YOU COME
TO WORK IT’S FRANTIC.
IT’S NOT BUSY, IT’S
FRANTIC.
>> Reporter: HE IS THE
MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR
THE CHILDREN’S ER
WHERE THEY SAW 60%
RISE IN YOUNG PATIENTS
SINCE 2020.
YOU WERE SO BUSY, YOU
BROUGHT HOSPITAL BEDS
TO THE ATE RERUM?
>> WE PUT THEM IN ANY
FLAT SPACE WE COULD
FIND.
>> Reporter: IT’S BEEN
ALL HANDS ON DECK.
BECAUSE OF THE SURGE
IN RSV, YOU DON’T WORK
WITH KIDS THAT YOU ARE
GETTING TRAINED TO
WORK KIDS?
>> EXACTLY.
>> Reporter: A LESSON
IN TEAM TIMOWORK.
HOW DO YOU COPE?
>> I THINK THAT WE
LEAN ON EACH OTHER
BECAUSE WE WENT
SOMETHING THAT WAS SO
DIFFICULT.
I AM SURE THERE IS
SOME LEVEL OF TRAUMA
BONDING PER SE.
>> Reporter: WHEN YOU
ARE SPRINTING DURING A
MARATHON, BURNOUT IS
INEVITABLE.
>> WE ARE EXHAUSTED
FROM THIS EMOTIONALLY
AND PHYSICALLY, AND
THEN YOU GET THIS
CATASTROPHIC VOLUME
SURGE.
THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE
OF PEDIATRIC MED INIS
NOT EQUIPPED TO
HANDLE.
>> Reporter: DO YOU
FEEL LIKE YOU ARE
HOPEDING YOUR
HOLDING YOUR BREATH.
>> YES.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT