One study showed that in 2019, 18-percent of patients came in for major amputation versus a whopping 42-percent this year.
Studies show rise in amputations among diabetic patients since pandemic beganVolume 90% Author: Michael Gibson (KIII)Published: 7:37 PM CST December 2, 2020Updated: 7:40 PM CST December 2, 2020
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A couple of recent studies show the effects of the pandemic on the healthcare of diabetic patients and the news is not good. It has prompted experts to remind those with diabetes about just how important preventative care is.
Serei Lee is a doctor of podiatry who moved here from Los Angeles back in 2007. His goal — to try and save more diabetics from having to have an amputation.
“At that time it is said that Corpus Christi and the Valley were number one and number two as having the highest rate of amputation in the country, so my specialty involves saving limbs,” Lee said.
When shown two studies that were published in Podiatry Today, he wasn’t too surprised by the findings. The researchers discovered that diabetes patients were coming in for major amputations at a much higher rate than they were before the coronavirus pandemic began. One study showed that in 2019, 18-percent of patients came in for major amputation versus a whopping 42-percent this year.
Dr. Lee said he was also seeing an increase here in patients who waited too long to see a doctor because of the pandemic.
“If they couldn’t come see me at the same time they go to the ER and that’s when they would call me at Christus Spohn Shoreline, and that’s when I come in. My volume in the office, it’s obviously dropped, but I get a lot of consults because of the reasons we mentioned,” Lee said. “Yes sir, a lot of a diabetic ulcers complications that they couldn’t be managed in outpatient setting due to various reasons to not be able to see a specialist.”
Research scientists also noted a higher degree of tissue loss in pandemic patients than pre-pandemic. Up to 59-percent more from last year. The doctor again believes the delay in treatment would lead to more complications.
“A healthy population, they have a cut, keep it clean, just use over-the-counter ointment and they’ll do fine,” Lee said. “But you throw in different complications, you have an open hole for a couple of months, for a couple of weeks, and slowly it deteriorated, not healing but it went through different stages of infection and that’s when they come to me or go to the local hospital.”
Lee said people should use these research findings as a warning — one that should have folks following up with their primary care physician or with their wound care doctor so if a problem does develop, it can be caught early before amputation is the only option.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
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Upcoming COVID-19 vaccine clinics in the Coastal Bend. Here’s what you need to know.
The Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District will administer over 18,000 COVID-19 vaccines this week.
Something went wrong.More VideosNext Up40 years later, a survivor speaks out about the Grain Elevator accident on the Corpus Christi Ship CLanes on Harbor Bridge will close for safety inspections this weekVolume 90% Author: James Ayala, Haley WilliamsPublished: 3:12 PM CST January 15, 2021Updated: 7:28 AM CDT April 8, 2021
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The COVID-19 vaccine is arriving in the Coastal Bend and many of our viewers have had questions about how to get the shot, how safe it is, and even the side-effects.
So, we have put together a guide with everything you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine in the Coastal Bend, starting with County Health District mega clinics.
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Nueces County
18,000 COVID-19 vaccines this week:
Registration is open for anyone over the age of 16 to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at Thursday evening’s Driscoll Children’s Hospital Vaccine Site.
First doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be administered Thursday, April 8, 6-7:45 p.m., at Driscoll Children’s Hospital Auditorium, 3533 S. Alameda St. Please check in at the main entrance.
You must have an appointment in order to receive the vaccine.
Individuals under the age of 18 must have consent from their parents or legal guardian in order to be vaccinated.
The Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District will have first and second dose vaccination clinics next week for residents 18 years and older.
- On Thursday, April 8 – The Health District will administer 3,300 second dose and 1,000 first doses of Moderna vaccines beginning at 9 a.m. during a walk-thru clinic at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds, 1213 Terry Shamsie Boulevard in Robstown, Texas.
To pre-register by phone, call 361-561-1101. To pre-register online, visit www.cctexas.com/vaccineregistration and click on the “Vaccination Registration” link. During online pre-registration you must receive a Quick Response (QR) code. Once the online pre-registration limit is reached, you will not be able to register until additional vaccines become available.
Notification of appointment date and time will be messaged to clients by text or landline scheduled for individuals pre-registered.
The City will continue to notify the public as more vaccines become available.
Credit: The Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District
San Patricio County
There will be three first dose vaccine clinics in San Patricio County. Here’s what you need to know.
A Moderna walk up clinic will be held at the San Patricio County Fairgrounds Event Center from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. held on Wednesday, April 7, Thursday, April 8, and Friday, April 9.
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Save Our Seniors
The hotline number is 1-888-728-0018 and is available in English and Spanish. Seniors and individuals who are homebound are invited to register for this program. The hotline number will only be open during the pre-registration time, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The vaccine administered will be Moderna.
A homebound senior is identified as a patron who is unable to leave their home without difficulty. It is usually due to advanced age, illness, or disability.
The Corpus Christi model for the SOS program is being used in 98 counties across the state and on track to vaccinate two million seniors. The CCFD will continue to offer vaccinations as vaccines become available.
To find out more about the Save Our Seniors Homebound program visit www.cctexas.com/sos.
24 hour pre-registration
City leaders gathered at City Hall for their weekly COVID-19 press conference and the group shed a little light on how vaccination effort are going across the county.
According to Mayor Paulette Guajardo, the city’s online pre-registration will now be open 24 hours a day. Instead of closing when they’ve reached a certain limit, they’ll take those people and put them on a list for a future vaccination clinic.
“During your online pre-registration, just remember you must receive a QR code,” Guajardo said. “So be sure to complete all the online registration steps in order to assure you receive the code, notification of appointment, date and time will be messages to client via text or landline when a future vaccination clinic has been scheduled.”
The hotline number is 361-561-1101.