'We need your help'; King Co. hospitals at breaking point for capacity (Seattle: transfer, living)

[homesinseattle]

Article link here: https://www.q13fox.com/news/we-need-...r-capacity.amp

“ King County hospitals are urging people to get vaccinated and boosted, as they are at the breaking point of capacity – and almost all of their COVID-19 patients are unvaxxed.

A call to action penned by hospital leaders says that while there are promising signs as omicron cases appear to be falling from their peak, health care centers were already at critical capacity before the recent surge. They have since had to cancel surgeries and other medical procedures just to treat COVID patients.

This has left an immense backlog of surgeries, putting those patients in a precarious situation.

"The sheer number of patients means hospital acute care and ICUs across the state are very full. Hospitals are doing everything they can with critical staffing levels to provide care in the most challenging situation we’ve seen to date," said Cassier Sauer, President and CEO of the Washington State Hospital Association. "The patients most severely impacted by COVID-19 are almost all unvaccinated and unboosted. If you haven’t yet, please get vaccinated."

Officials say COVID-19 hospitalizations have spiked 700% in a single month – going from around eight to 70 people hospitalized per day.

"We’ve already had to cancel most surgeries — delaying care that would help someone live a better, healthier life," reads the call to action.

To help mitigate the strain on hospitals, officials urge people to get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, wear higher-quality face masks, avoid crowded spaces, save the ER for emergencies, and do not delay routine healthcare visits”.

[rjshae]

At this point I think it's just preaching to the converted. Most of the anti-mask/anti-vax people are going to stay that way. At least we can see them coming.

[jabogitlu]

All of healthcare is a triage. I am not sure why we are triaging in the direction of the unvaccinated.

If you have a vaccine card, by all means, our hospitals should ensure you receive the best care possible if you have symptoms of COVID-19. If you don't, you go to the back of the line, behind the other folks' surgeries, etc.

Seems like a rational situation to me.

[509]

Is this because of the transfer of all Ferry County and Idaho residents to King County hospitals???

Seattle Times, thinks the people in Ferry County all 7,000 of them are the cause of western Washington problems with COVID.

[jabogitlu]

What does the Seattle Times have to do with this?

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by 509

Is this because of the transfer of all Ferry County and Idaho residents to King County hospitals???

Seattle Times, thinks the people in Ferry County all 7,000 of them are the cause of western Washington problems with COVID.

No.

[Botev1912]

with 90% of people vaccinated, hospitals are full of unvaccinated people? Hard to believe. More like there is a staff shortage.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by Botev1912

with 90% of people vaccinated, hospitals are full of unvaccinated people? Hard to believe. More like there is a staff shortage.

I know an ICU doctor that has spent the last two weekends watching their kids' sports games. Same doctor that two years ago was the first to find community spread in the area (and as a result was featured several times on national TV).

Instead of Covid fear they shared valuable info on rest stop restaurants and good Amazon shows.

[Guineas]

It's all staff shortage.

Most docs I know are living life normally with some common sense precautions, makes sense since they have been working all this time and constantly mingling with people.

It's the WFH tech guys that are still in their bunkers and in constant anxiety about Covid. They've become agoraphobic and almost dread a return to normal.

[rjshae]

Originally Posted by Guineas

It's all staff shortage.

Medical staffs are getting sick from the omicron variant, so yes there's a staffing shortage in places.

It's the WFH tech guys that are still in their bunkers and in constant anxiety about Covid. They've become agoraphobic and almost dread a return to normal.

WTF? Is that your view of tech workers? If so, it's pretty ignorant.