Consider This from NPR The Delta Surge Keeps Getting Worse. What Happens When Hospitals Fill Up
Sep 2, 2021
The podcast reveals the dire state of southern hospitals grappling with a surge in COVID-19 cases, fueled by the delta variant and low vaccination rates. Experts, including Dr. Kimberlin from Alabama, discuss how the healthcare system is nearing collapse. Listeners learn about the relentless pressure on healthcare workers and the reality of filled hospitals, with patients struggling for ICU access. The emotional toll on medical staff is highlighted, alongside a rise in vaccinations and urgent public health calls for community awareness.
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Alabama's Hospital Crisis
- Alabama hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, facing ambulance shortages and lack of space.
- Doctors are performing CPR in pickup trucks due to the dire situation.
Resurgence of Hospitalizations
- Current COVID-19 hospitalizations are nearing 90,000, not as high as January's peak but drastically up from July's low of 12,000.
- This resurgence highlights the rapid spread of the Delta variant and low vaccination rates.
Mississippi and Kentucky Struggles
- Mississippi hospitals are full, with nearly 100 people awaiting ICU beds, despite avoiding major hurricane damage.
- Kentucky has deployed field hospitals and National Guard assistance.