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I work near local hospital. About 30 -50 of our patients work there. I've had about 5 in the last day come in, including staff from covid unit. Over the past several months I've seen about 1000 patients, and treated the hospital staff in varying capacities. The hospital also test all patients coming in for surgeries/deliveries/etc. reporting a general 1.6-2% overall asymptomatic positive rate.
Reporting what the Doctors/students/nurses/and staff working in covid unit have told me, the hospital does NOT profit from high covid rates. To the contrary, when elective procedures were discontinued due to potential ppe supply shortfall, many of the medical/support staff (I've seen) were furloughed/reduced hours. When the hospital opened back up to elective procedures (joint replacements, etc), things have slowly headed towards normal. I was surprised to learn that currently PPE supplies are still reported spotty at best. Covid unit was not inundated during spring, however, noting recent uptick in cases, concerning staff. Nurse yesterday stated they were getting near capacity again in Covid, which was a surprise for me. The general concern seems to be, that the hospital is going to get shut down again for elective procedures if trend continues, which produces huge shortfall. Many on staff are just now getting back up to pre-covid hours.
Right now, no one is getting or needing to get turned away for regular or elective tx. That could change if numbers rise. What does another clampdown mean for the staff? More layoffs/furloughs/ etc. Take the food services. Many worker jobs on the line there with lower numbers and no visitors, no one to serve.
In our state in general, overall concern seems to be the same. Many businesses were closed in spring. Many reopened here in the last month. Resurgence means potentially closing schools for fall, re closing restaurants, etc. who can't weather a second hit. My local mexican joint is nervous. "This, I can do... (pointing to about 50 people capacity well spaced out), but the takeout thing again, I cannot." He's a guy who works his arse off, and is willing to make do, but he can only go so far.
In this environment, we've been asked to wear mask, which is a part of an effort to keep the numbers low enough as to keep the businesses running. Are we being required to run chains to get across loveland pass? No. It's the equivalent of being asked to simply have all season radials with some tread left on them. Effective as chains? perhaps not, yet the same people I know personally who insist that "it's not a big deal- most live, it's all a conspiracy/ fake " are the same that insist they have/loved ones don n95's or complain and wear nothing and sh#$ a brick when their family members with a medical condition start to cough. Personally, I don't think masks are enough. I think they need to be combined with other measures to be effective, but are people willing to try?
So it's my generational moment of truth. Endure nerve gas in a WWI trench? No. Man a tailgun on a WWII bombing raid into Germany? No. Willingly sardine myself in a sherman tank and go up against a panzer? No. I've been simply asked to wear a mask (to help keep numbers low to keep things going).
The willingness to do something for a greater good, even if it seems stupid or requires self sacrifice appears to be something we have lost to previous generations.
"God- I had to wear a mask and walk 30 feet down some stupid one way lines in a grocery store. Oh- the agony."
When I asked the medical staff about locals not taking precautions (local college students had some recent summer parties), the response has been one of disbelief, frustration, and anger.
The Covid nurse yesterday-
"It's simply disrespectful"
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