New York Coronavirus: Officials Focus On Hospital Capacity As Second Wave Surges
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — As COVID-19 cases rise in the region, there’s growing concern about hospitals being overwhelmed with patients this winter.
Now, both New York City and state are taking action.
“I think of this as a war,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday. “COVID is an enemy that we’re dealing with.”
Cuomo said Monday the state needs more frontline troops to fight the virus.
“We are worried about overwhelming the hospital system,” he said.
MORE: Cuomo Outlines Winter COVID Plan With Strong Focus On Making Sure Hospitals Don’t Get Overwhelmed
On Sunday, the state reported 3,500 hospitalizations — a frightening number first seen in March.
As Part 1 of the governor’s emergency hospital measures in the second wave, he’s calling on every facility to identify retired doctors and nurses who could lessen the burden on the so-called battlefield.
He pointed out that the state can no longer depend on help from elsewhere, as hospitals nationwide are strained.
“We’re already experiencing staff shortages. Staff gets exhausted. They’ve had a horrendous year, to now go through this again with emergency rooms and our number of COVID patients coming in,” he said.
Cuomo also said the state needs more emergency field hospitals, like one that reopened last week on Staten Island.
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On Monday, three new COVID treatment centers opened in the city, including one in the hard-hit Bronx where patients in recovery can access cardiologists, pulmonologists and primary care doctors.
The city also opened 25 new mobile testing centers in the past week.
“Whether you traveled or didn’t travel, we’re encouraging people to get tested,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday.
With one of the biggest complaints being long lines, the city is now posting wait times at its testing centers.
“The bottom line is: Get tested,” said the mayor.
The governor says if the state hits a real hospitalization crisis, it could potentially be put back on pause.
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December 01, 2020 at 06:30PM
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