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Good morning. I'm listening to @boisemayor McLean's briefing from local health care leaders about the current healthcare situation in the Treasure Valley.
St. Luke's Dr. Souza: We are now well beyond normal staffing operations and approaching the limits of what we can do. He reiterates what we've been hearing for a while: We're getting closer and closer to rationing care, which is entirely preventable. #IdahoCovid19
Souza suggest enforcement and consequences to those in the business community who aren't adhering to existing mandates. (So many officials have shied away from this.)
And Odette Bolano, CEO of St. Alphonsus, repeats that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator. In other words, what we do right now isn't going to change the fact that some people who just got diagnosed will need to be hospitalized in a couple of weeks.
Dr. Nemerson from St. Alphonsus says in their hospital system, they're seeing record positivity rates of 25 percent. Also seeing record COVID patients -- about 60 just at St. Al's right now, and it's growing. Like St Luke's, they're starting to cancel non-essential services.
Looking at predictability models, unless the community radically changes its compliance, St. Al's expects a doubling of COVID patients in its system around Christmas, and a tripling shortly after that. That's when they start rationing care.
That isn't that far away, folks.
That isn't that far away, folks.
Anecdotally, he says some patients have come in after getting into fights over mask compliance (!!!).
(Don't punch people over masks. That is not good social distancing.)
(Don't punch people over masks. That is not good social distancing.)
That predictability model, by the way, has been fairly spot-on so far. And with the holidays coming up, these hospital systems are very concerned that we're going to hit the point where they need to ration care in two months.
Dr. Souza says St. Luke's is anticipating a 30 percent increase in COVID patients the first week of December. So the number of patients will likely hit the high 100s, near 200.
Dr. Peterman of Primary Health says all their clinics are full today. We're nearing desperation.
Dr. Peterman of Primary Health says all their clinics are full today. We're nearing desperation.
Meanwhile, I'm listening to this, too, and it's just so damn surreal. https://twitter.com/StLukesAnita/status/1328738967882121218
This, after hospital officials and nurses and doctors have testified time and time again about hospital capacity and staffing issues. People honestly think every one of these officials is lying, and that it's more likely than uncontrolled COVID spread. https://twitter.com/heersinkolivia/status/1328741323986243585
I'm trying to take notes on the current speaker, who is drawing on her experience in Venezuela in the 90s to say we shouldn't trust the medical community. She also said the Lord told her in 1996 that the United States had just 20 years left.
To be clear, this is not a member of the public who signed up to testify. This is Dr. Vicki Wooll, who is on the agenda and was invited to present to the board.
She isn't a COVID denier. She's talking about how COVID can progress in very serious and unpredictable ways. But she's also telling people not to upgrade to 5G.
I have mental whiplash.
I have mental whiplash.
She's also falsely telling people that COVID isn't the cause of death for most people who are dying of COVID-related causes.
She has no understanding of positivity rates and is diving into multiple conspiracy theories. But the board of health is treating her as an expert.
She has no understanding of positivity rates and is diving into multiple conspiracy theories. But the board of health is treating her as an expert.
I had to step away to help my kiddo with schoolwork, but I tuned back in to hear a man arguing against NOT JUST widespread public mask use, but ALSO surgical masks used during medical procedures! He is not citing his sources in his slides. #idahocovid19
Dr. Sky Blue is being very polite while trying to refute the avalanche of misinformation that preceded him. #idahocovid19
I dunno, man, maybe he should have more slides in all-caps.
Dr. Michaela Schulte is now telling the board about the potential for rationing care, and how staff shortages are affecting other non-COVID patients and health care needs. I'm curious how COVID-deniers rationalize this, other than just thinking they're all lying.
