“We are in a bad, bad situation,” Dr. Tony Cook reported late yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, in a call to The Canadian Record.

“We are not able to transfer patients at all,” said Dr. Cook, Hemphill County Hospital’s chief medical officer, adding that he had tried to find ICU beds by calling over 100 hospital in six different states. “There is nothing. We are there again.”

Dr. Cook was not alone. Leaders of some of Texas’ largest hospitals told state lawmakers on Tuesday that they were on the brink of catastrophe, and close to being completely overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients.

Official after official used their strongest descriptions to get the point across to legislators, the Texas Tribune reported Tuesday: Hospitalizations are rising too fast for them to keep up with, and it may be too late to do anything about it.

“I found a few places for people,” Dr. Cook told us. “Some small hospitals have taken minor stuff, but we have people who should have been in ICU (Intensive Care Units).”

“We had somebody die here who should have been in an ICU,” he said, hesitating to be that blunt, then deciding bluntness was all he had left.

“A heart attack, anything that is going to require a higher level of care, it’s not going to happen.”

Dr. Cook said hospitals in Amarillo and Lubbock are full. “Oklahoma City is full because they have patients from Houston. Shreveport is full because they have patients from Delaware.”

“It’s a serious deal. There are over 10,000 patients hospitalized with COVID in Texas now, and things aren’t shut down.”

Dr. Cook said Hemphill County has several patients now, but is not full. “Some of them should not be here, though,” he said. “They should be at a bigger place with specialists and more equipment.”

But there is no helicopter waiting to fly anyone to a higher level care facility now. This is the real deal, he said.

Because things aren’t shut down, there will be more car wrecks, more stabbings, more gunshot wounds…and more routine medical emergencies with nowhere to go for help. “The governor has asked hospitals to postpone all non-emergent surgery,” Cook said, “but really, they have no choice.”

We asked what advice he has for the community. “Just be careful,” Dr. Cook said. “Don’t get hurt. If you haven’t been vaccinated, get vaccinated. It’s kinda’ too late, but get vaccinated.”

There are vaccines available here, he said, and if not at the hospital, they are available at local and area pharmacies. Dr. Cook prefers the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines because they have proven to be more effective against the Delta variant.

Hemphill County Hospital CEO Christy Francis said yesterday that they have 120 Moderna vaccines in stock. The vaccines are free for anyone 18 years and older. Proof of citizenship is not required. To make an appointment to receive a vaccine at Hemphill County Hospital, call 806.323.6422 and ask for Jodi Water, the Director of Nursing. If there is no answer, leave a voice mail and your call will be returned.

“We will do one dose out of a vial if someone wants a shot,” Francis said, adding that the hospital will also have another clinic next week to administer the vaccines.

Masks are mandatory at Hemphill County Hospital.