A COVID-19 outbreak within Medshore ambulance services in Anderson County is impacting 911 response, according to Medshore officials.
As of Aug. 10, 15 Medshore EMS workers have either tested positive for COVID-19 or are in suspicion of having contracted the disease and are quarantining, preventing them from operating as EMS personnel.
Normal ambulance staffing for Anderson County is 24 to 26 units at peak. Medshore of Anderson has 5 to 6 (or roughly 23%) of the total units worth of employees currently out due to COVID-19 concerns.
Pre-coronavirus, Medshore was already reporting being understaffed and was fined by Anderson County for not adequately responding to 911 calls. According to Medshore officials, those fines came at the hands of lack of manpower — an ongoing issue that coronavirus has now worsened.