L.A. County hospitals begin to fill ICU capacity
By Krystal Duran
El Rodeo Staff Writer
El Rodeo Staff Writer
As Coronavirus cases and deaths hit record levels in L.A. County, low running hospital capacities are beginning to become a major concern.
For cases, L.A. County health officials have reported a 370% increase in deaths over the last month. “Hospitals are stressed and filling up with hundreds of new COVID-19 positive patients each day, our healthcare workers are exhausted, and deaths are reaching an all-time high,” says the Director of the Department of Public health, Barbara Ferrer. This ultimately occurred after stay-at-home orders and the second California lockdown were issued.
According to L.A. County officials, data has shown that cases among healthcare workers have increased by 71%. These officials are blaming the increase in people who have not been following protocols and social distancing measures. Health care workers are facing issues as the cases surge. “A lot of healthcare workers have been concerned about this, about the lack of compliance, and now we’re seeing it play out, and you just sort of feel resigned,” said Dr. Chris Longhurst, associate chief medical officer. You’ve got to go to work every day and help the people who need hospital care, but we wish that it had stopped upstream.”
Now that resources are becoming scarce, there may be decisions based on who receives the care and who does not.
For cases, L.A. County health officials have reported a 370% increase in deaths over the last month. “Hospitals are stressed and filling up with hundreds of new COVID-19 positive patients each day, our healthcare workers are exhausted, and deaths are reaching an all-time high,” says the Director of the Department of Public health, Barbara Ferrer. This ultimately occurred after stay-at-home orders and the second California lockdown were issued.
According to L.A. County officials, data has shown that cases among healthcare workers have increased by 71%. These officials are blaming the increase in people who have not been following protocols and social distancing measures. Health care workers are facing issues as the cases surge. “A lot of healthcare workers have been concerned about this, about the lack of compliance, and now we’re seeing it play out, and you just sort of feel resigned,” said Dr. Chris Longhurst, associate chief medical officer. You’ve got to go to work every day and help the people who need hospital care, but we wish that it had stopped upstream.”
Now that resources are becoming scarce, there may be decisions based on who receives the care and who does not.