Wow, it’s getting really scary in Texas - and everywhere else!

[audreyh1]

Crazy stuff!

In Texas, El Paso alone has more people hospitalized with the virus than 29 states, according to the local government.

With the latest uptick, current hospitalizations nationwide are at 56,768 and climbing at a clip of 1,321 a day in the past week, a pace that would put the nation no more than three days from the April 15 record of 59,940, according to Covid Tracking Project data.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...paign=news&utm_medium=bd&utm_source=applenews

 

[audreyh1]

Is there a website that shows how many ICU beds are currently occupied for each state?

The Covid Tracking Project aggregates hospitalization data and you can view by state. https://covidtracking.com/data/charts/us-currently-hospitalized

But I don’t see additional info like ICU Utilization or hospital capacity.

Looks like the CDC stopped publishing their statistical estimates of ICU utilization by state after July 14 when hospital data was routed to HHS instead. I believe this decision was reversed about a month later, but the CDC reports did not resume. Chuckanut had given a link to this earlier.

Interesting article about Utah’s big recent increases in hospital use. https://coronavirus.utah.gov/strain...s-it-mean-to-have-utah-hospitals-at-capacity/

 

[donheff]

Here is a site that shows ICU availability vs needs. If it is accurate Texas needs more ICU beds now.

 

[audreyh1]

Here is a site that shows ICU availability vs needs. If it is accurate Texas needs more ICU beds now.

Good thanks! I had forgotten about the IHME projections site. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[donheff]

Good thanks! I had forgotten about the IHME projections site. Thanks for the reminder!

I had forgotten about it too. It is depressing to click around and see where various locations are on their curves. We live in a bubble in DC with 90%+ mask compliance. As the cold approaches, I am comfortable enough to entertain my daughter and her new baby (who live nearby) in the house with a large room HEPA air purifier. Fauci says he plans to have dinner with his cautious neighbors using such a setup -- good enough for me.

Here is our curve:

 

[audreyh1]

Here is a timely NPR article about the current Covid-19 hospitalization surge. https://www.npr.org/sections/health...surging-where-are-hospitals-reaching-capacity

 

[audreyh1]

Looks like US hospitalizations for Covid-19 broke through prior peaks today. The US almost hit 60,000 in April, then came very close again with the July surge. Today we made a new record of 61,964.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science...ronavirus-hospitalizations-new-record/617061/

Yuck!

 

[harllee]

Here in NC today our Governor reduced the number of people allowed at indoor gatherings from 25 to 10. I guess he is trying to discourage large indoor Thanksgiving get togethers but it appears to me many people just ignore these mandates.

 

[donheff]

ND hospitals are at 100% of capacity. Staffing is so dire that Covid positive staff are being asked to continue working while asymptomatic.

 

[Montecfo]

Looks like US hospitalizations for Covid-19 broke through prior peaks today. The US almost hit 60,000 in April, then came very close again with the July surge. Today we made a new record of 61,964.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science...ronavirus-hospitalizations-new-record/617061/

Yuck!

It is troubling, but the cases are spread over far more hospitals than was true earlier, when a few large hotspots dominated. Fewer hospitals are near capacity now, though there are exceptions.

And the more the economy opens up, the more cases you will get. Priority is to protect the vulnerable. We appear to be doing a much better job of that, and better treatments mean shorter hospital stays.

Hopefully we begin to get vaccine by end of year, which will also help.

 

[Aerides]

ND hospitals are at 100% of capacity. Staffing is so dire that Covid positive staff are being asked to continue working while asymptomatic.

Here's an article on that:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/ne...ounces-COVID-positive-nurses-can-stay-at-work

The population of ND is so low that their numbers are easy to dismiss as not so bad. But, adjusted per capita, their numbers are staggering.

 

[W2R]

Here in NC today our Governor reduced the number of people allowed at indoor gatherings from 25 to 10. I guess he is trying to discourage large indoor Thanksgiving get togethers but it appears to me many people just ignore these mandates.

We customarily have Thanksgiving with Frank's extended family, I suppose about 30-35 people, some elderly and feeble. This year nothing has been said about it so far. It's usually held in a private room at one of New Orleans' legendary restaurants, but I have no idea if that is possible with the latest restrictions (which change frequently). Even if it is somehow planned, which I doubt, we are going to beg off. What if someone died shortly thereafter? Everyone would feel so bad.

But, I see your point. I guess there exist some people who would go to a big get together like that without a care in the world. I can't imagine having that mindset.

 

[Gumby]

For the last 31 years, we have gathered at the in-laws in NJ for Thanksgiving dinner. Usually, there are 17-18 of us around the table. This year, we are spending Thanksgiving at home, just the two of us. It will be different, and not ideal, but it is necessary for the greater good of our family and our society. We will still be extremely thankful for everything we have, and we will look forward to a better Thanksgiving next year.

 

[RobbieB]

Wifey would rather die than not see family on the holidays. So, maybe we will.

 

[Popeye]

Here's an article on that:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/ne...ounces-COVID-positive-nurses-can-stay-at-work

The population of ND is so low that their numbers are easy to dismiss as not so bad. But, adjusted per capita, their numbers are staggering.

While the spread in ND can’t be dismissed, the raw numbers do lend some perspective. From the referenced article

The number of hospitalized residents due to the COVID-19 rose to 254 on Monday.

 

[audreyh1]

While the spread in ND can’t be dismissed, the raw numbers do lend some perspective. From the referenced article

The number of hospitalized residents due to the COVID-19 rose to 254 on Monday.

What matters is local numbers versus hospital capacity. If you don’t have the capacity in a low population area, it doesn’t matter that the raw numbers are low. This is where low population areas are quite vulnerable. From same article:

With North Dakota hospitals at 100% capacity, Burgum announces COVID-positive nurses can stay at work.

 

[RISP]

Dr. said that she has a virus but not Covid. Dr. gave her antibiotic [...].

Antibiotics do nothing against virus infections. These unnecessary prescriptions are a big reason why so many pathogens are becoming drug-resistant.
Glad to hear your niece is doing better.

 

[Ronstar]

Antibiotics do nothing against virus infections. These unnecessary prescriptions are a big reason why so many pathogens are becoming drug-resistant.
Glad to hear your niece is doing better.

I misunderstood my niece's husband. He said an anti-viral not an antibiotic.

 

[mf15]

Well one thing I did to try and protect ourselves is to install a UVC light
in the furnace return duct. When the grandkids come over I have the blower on. What you see in the picture is visible light not the UV which does the killing.
Oldmike

 

[retire-early]

What matters is local numbers versus hospital capacity. If you don’t have the capacity in a low population area, it doesn’t matter that the raw numbers are low. This is where low population areas are quite vulnerable. From same article:

Some of the states are increasing the number of beds.
However, if there isn't enough nurses or doctors, the level of care drops.
From what I saw when my father was in the hospital, they weren't exactly "over staffed" to begin with.
Add to the adequate but hardly abundant staffing the stress and complexity of caring for patients with Covid-19, the care cannot but be stretched thin.
The healthcare workers are true heroes who unfortunately did not and are not getting much help.

 

[gattara]

The healthcare workers are true heroes who unfortunately did not and are not getting much help.

Yes indeed. I feel for them.

 

[Popeye]

What matters is local numbers versus hospital capacity. If you don’t have the capacity in a low population area, it doesn’t matter that the raw numbers are low. This is where low population areas are quite vulnerable. From same article:

It absolutely matters that the raw numbers are so low. Which problem is easier to fix if ND raises its hand and calls for help? Exceeding capacity by 100 patients or exceeding capacity by thousands like we all feared New York was facing back in the spring?

 

[BigNick]

It absolutely matters that the raw numbers are so low. Which problem is easier to fix if ND raises its hand and calls for help? Exceeding capacity by 100 patients or exceeding capacity by thousands like we all feared New York was facing back in the spring?

The problem is that hospitals in the neighbouring states are not exactly idle either. Belgium and the Netherlands are currently being saved from having their ICUs overflow because Germany is doing slightly less badly and has a large population center less than 100 miles from the border of both of those other countries. It's a very long way from Bismarck, ND to the nearest large metro area in a state that doesn't have 1,000 cases per 100k in the past 14 days.

 

[ivinsfan]

The problem is that hospitals in the neighbouring states are not exactly idle either. Belgium and the Netherlands are currently being saved from having their ICUs overflow because Germany is doing slightly less badly and has a large population center less than 100 miles from the border of both of those other countries. It's a very long way from Bismarck, ND to the nearest large metro area in a state that doesn't have 1,000 cases per 100k in the past 14 days.

That is the problem. Here is MN bordered by N and S Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin we had decent numbers but they are now rising to join the above hotspots, it's inevitable.

 

[travelover]

That is the problem. Here is MN bordered by N and S Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin we had decent numbers but they are now rising to join the above hotspots, it's inevitable.

Ditto in Washington. Maskless Idaho wants to send their excess patients here.