Erie County officials: concern over hospital capacity, staffing

Erie County officials: concern over hospital capacity, staffing

Western New York and Erie County hit yet another grim milestone Wednesday afternoon with new hospitalization numbers.

HOSPITALS AREPREPARING FOR ASURGE AND THEY'RECONCERNED ABOUTSTAFF CAPABILITY ANDCAPACITYALSO TONIGHT --THE RAPID RISE INCOVID-19 CASESHAS HOSPITALOFFICIALSWORRIED THEYCOULD HIT THEIRBREAKING POINT.MORE CASESMEANS MOREPEOPLE IN THEHOSPITAL.THAT IS STARTINGTO PUT A BIGGERSTRAIN ON THESYSTEM THAN WEHAVE SEEN ALLYEAR.THERE ARE NOW ARECORD 264COVID-19 PATIENTSIN THE HOSPITAL INERIE COUNTY --WITH ANOTHER 73IN THE REST OFWESTERN NEWYORK.BOTH ARE THEHIGHEST WE HAVESEEN THE ENTIREPANDEMIC.TONIGHT NIKKIDEMENTRI TAKESAN IN-DEPTH LOOKAT THECHALLENGESTHESE NUMBERSARE PUTTING ONLOCAL HOSPITALS."THOSE ARE THEHIGHEST RECORDEDTOTALS EVER."THOSE RECORDTOTALS.337NEIGHBORSFIGHTING COVID-19IN WESTERN NEWYORK HOSPITALS.264 IN ERIECOUNTY."WE JUST KEEP GOINGABOUT AS WE'REDOING NOW.

THIS ISWHAT WE CAN EXPECTTO SEE.

IT'S ANEXPONENTIAL GROWTHIN THE NUMBER OFHOSPITAL ADMISSIONSAND IT COULD FARSURPASS WHAT OURCAPACITY IS."THIS IS WHATCOULD BE -- WITHOR WITHOUT ALOCKDOWN."THE ISSUE IS DO WEAS A COMMUNITY ACTIN SUCH A WAYTOMORROW THAT WEPUT MORE PEOPLE ATRISK."HOSPITALS AREPREPARING FORTHE SURGE.STAFFING IS THEIRMAIN CONCERN."THOSE ON THE FRONTLINE, THEY'RE TIRED.THEY'RE DEDICATED,THEY'REHARDWORKING BUTTHEY'RE TIRED.WE'VEBEEN FOCUSED ONTAKING THOSEEMPLOYEES, MAKINGSURE THAT THEY'REHEALTHY AND SAFE."A KALEIDA HEALTHSPOKESPERSONSAYS THEHOSPITAL SYSTEMLEARNED FROMTHE FIRST WAVE.THEY ARE NOWFOCUSED ONPERSONNEL,SPACE,EQUIPMENT ANDTESTING.RIGHT NOW 140PATIENTS AREFIGHTING COVID-19.OUT OF 1,000INPATIENT BEDS."FOR US IT'S REALLY ADAY-BY-DAY, HOUR-BY-HOUR LOOK AT THISTHING.""N: CAN THECOMMUNITY PULLTOGETHER TO TURNTHESE NUMBERSAROUND?

DO YOUTHINK THAT'S POSSIBLERIGHT NOW?R: OH OF COURSE IT'SPOSSIBLE.

IT'S JUSTRESOLVE, WILL ANDREALLY THINKING OFCOMMUNITY AHEAD OFONE SELF."INFECTIOUSDISEASES EXPERTDR. THOMASRUSSO WITH U-BSHARES INCONCERNS AND ISASKING THECOMMUNITY TO"HUNKER DOWN"FOR THE NEXT 4-5MONTHS."AND BE RIGOROUSABOUT FOLLOWINGTHE PUBLIC HEALTHMEASURES THAT WEKNOW WORKS AND ISREALLY THE ONLY WAYWE KNOW THAT WECAN PREVENTINFECTIOUS UNTIL WEGET TO THE VACCINE."A GOOD SIGN,RUSSO NOTES, ISI-C-U ANDVENTILATOR USEARE NOT RISING ASMUCH AS THEY DIDIN THE SPRING.HE SAYS THE MOSTVULNERABLE AREBEING MORECAREFUL ANDTHERE ARE NOWSEVERAL COVIDTREATMENTS.NATSTHE STATE ISPREPARING A"WINTER PLAN"WHICH WILLPRIORITIZE ZONESWITH THE HIGHESTINFECTION ANDHOSPITALIZATIONRATES.ND, 7EWN.