GEARY COUNTY (KSNT) – The Geary Community Hospital will lose its intensive care unit in the near future due to a myriad of pandemic-related issues, a spokesperson announced Monday.

Director of Human Resources LJ Baker said the ICU in the hospital will shut down no later than Feb. 1, 2022. The closure is due to an “exacerbated COVID-19 nursing shortage, as well as fiscal situations beyond [their] control.”

“We assure you that closing a unit of the hospital is not an easy decision and we understand how this impacts the community,” Baker said. “Therefore, to ensure safe and quality care for patients currently in the ICU, it is our intent to conduct a deliberate and phased transition of closing the unit.”

The hospital will be coordinating with multiple other state hospitals to identify available beds and facilitate required treatment for patients. Baker went on to say that this is a widespread problem being faced by many other hospitals nationwide.

While the ICU will close, the Geary Community Hospital will remain open, with departments including emergency care, critical support services and clinics still providing healthcare for patients.