ICUs full of COVID-19 patients forced into leaving people with treatable conditions to die

[PurpleFlower]

@anon29537550

As has been the case with this thing, national statistics are very deceiving.

Hospitals in Alabama have exceeded 100 percent capacity of ICU beds. The Alabama Hospital Association on Tuesday reported that there were 1,592 ICU patients in the state and only 1,549 staffed ICU beds, an excess of 43 patients
In Texas, 169 out of 506 reporting hospitals have ICUs above 95 percent full, which is up from just 69 in June
Alaska’s largest hospital—Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage—implemented crisis standards over the weekend
In Illinois, the state’s Department of Public Health reported for the first time that one of its health regions had run out of ICU bed

That 25% doesn’t sound so awfully bad, but where you are makes all the difference in the world. Life and death sort of difference.

We were looking up our local hospitals a few weeks ago. One ICU was at 129% capacity. Another had
“0.3” empty ICU beds, whatever the hell that means. Are we stacking them like bunk beds? Do you have to scoot over and make room for a buddy? Hospital capacities are improving a little bit here (Georgia).