SALISBURY, Md. - TidalHealth is just one medical provider on Delmarva that says it's patient care services are being pushed to their limits.
In Wicomico County, the Health Department says there are currently 42 positive COVID patients at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional. They most of those patients are not vaccinated and urging people to help stop the surge by getting their vaccination shots or booster.
TidalHealth says it has temporarily paused visitation and non-emergency elective surgeries that require an over night stay. The hospital blames surging volumes -- staffing challenges -- and COVID-19 positive admissions.
TidalHealth says the strain on healthcare issues aren't just happening at their location, it's once again, becoming a nationwide problem.
Tom Adkins lives in Delmar and received his booster shot.
Adkins is worried about the availability for surgeries in the future.
"It seems to me like we're taking a big step back, just like we were almost a year ago because the numbers are rising and the hospitals have to protect their patients. I have some friends that need elective surgeries and they might not be able to get them now," says Adkins.
Jorge Merino and his father also got their booster's. However, they have concerns over healthcare workers not getting vaccinated.
"It's incredible, especially because there are some hospital workers that don't want to get the vaccine. My dad just had a surgery at TidalHealth and one of the workers said "I don't have the vaccine, I don't want to get it". So it's incredible to think that there's people that work closely to COVID that are against the vaccine," says Merino.
Regina Cropper is in middle school and received her first vaccination shot.
Cropper says she wants to protect herself and classmates.
"I got it done because of the COVID activity at my school and because I live around little kids. I don't want them getting sick also. It's crazy cause like this is my first pandemic and I'm about to go into high school. I don't know if we're going to get homecoming because of it. It's really crazy and upsetting," says Cropper.
With COVID numbers on the rise around the holidays, people hope some sort of normalcy will return again soon.
TidalHealth says they will resume visitation and non-emergency elective surgeries when it's safe to do so.