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Why haven't governments been working hard at increasing capacity in terms of ventilators and hospital beds and other needed equipment, since March 2020? Back th

by spurgu 5y ago

Why haven't governments been working hard at increasing capacity in terms of ventilators and hospital beds and other needed equipment, since March 2020? Back then governments actually did that, and set up emergency beds. I know that there's a shortage of personnel, but it just seems that this would've been something to work towards since the beginning. I don't know what is practically needed from the personnel to nurse <60 year old Covid patients (couldn't less trained staff, 6 month quick course do the bulk of it?), the vast majority of which who go home, while it's the older ones who won't return home, and will likely require constant and/or prolonged care. Solve the equation for the younger patients and boom, you can increase hospital capacity (or setup new "Covid ICU:s") and just let the wave hit. Seems it would be such a better solution than whatever we're doing now (prolonging the backlogs forever).

rsynnott 5y ago
> Why haven't governments been working hard at increasing capacity in terms of ventilators and hospital beds and other needed equipment, since March 2020? Back then governments actually did that, and set up emergency beds. Many of them have. In general, equipment isn't the problem today in rich countries; it's staffing. > I don't know what is practically needed from the personnel to nurse <60 year old Covid patients (couldn't less trained staff, 6 month quick course do the bulk of it?) If they're in ICU (which is the main concern), multiple specially trained nurses per bed, plus various doctors and other support staff. I'm not quite following the distinction you're making here between young and old; the main relevant distinction is ICU (mostly either unvaccinated or immunocompromised) or non-ICU (most vaccinated patients of all ages who require hospitalization land here; also lots of unvaccinated). Many countries are seeing fall-offs in the numbers of elderly people in ICU as the boosters go down the list, but ICU numbers are still growing.
- spurgu 5y ago
  > I'm not quite following the distinction you're making here between young and old What I was getting at is that the vast majority of people dying in the ICU are 60+. So scaling up ICU's isn't gonna do much for them. Scaling up ICU's to cater for the <60 group (plus non-Covid hospitalizations) on the other hand, which you as well mention are more represented now with boosters, we could simply ease up on restrictions, not worry about the minority of unvaccinated people, and let this run its course much quicker than what the current "plan" allows for. > multiple specially trained nurses per bed How much training? Just brainstorming here: Wouldn't a 2-6 month (paid) intensive course be enough? It's not like you'd need to specialize in everything, just common symptoms/issues related to Covid hospitalizations. And after that you'd have a guaranteed well-paid* job for as long as this lasts. Throw in a college education like the military, if we're talking the US, for good measure. Just seems like there could be more done so much more in this area. *) this would of course include paying these people properly, which could be done through government subsidies edit: We thought the vaccine would take care of this whole thing but now after it's apparent it won't, we need to think of better solutions.

by spurgu 5y ago

rsynnott 5y ago

> Why haven't governments been working hard at increasing capacity in terms of ventilators and hospital beds and other needed equipment, since March 2020? Back then governments actually did that, and set up emergency beds. Many of them have. In general, equipment isn't the problem today in rich countries; it's staffing. > I don't know what is practically needed from the personnel to nurse <60 year old Covid patients (couldn't less trained staff, 6 month quick course do the bulk of it?) If they're in ICU (which is the main concern), multiple specially trained nurses per bed, plus various doctors and other support staff. I'm not quite following the distinction you're making here between young and old; the main relevant distinction is ICU (mostly either unvaccinated or immunocompromised) or non-ICU (most vaccinated patients of all ages who require hospitalization land here; also lots of unvaccinated). Many countries are seeing fall-offs in the numbers of elderly people in ICU as the boosters go down the list, but ICU numbers are still growing.

spurgu 5y ago
> I'm not quite following the distinction you're making here between young and old What I was getting at is that the vast majority of people dying in the ICU are 60+. So scaling up ICU's isn't gonna do much for them. Scaling up ICU's to cater for the <60 group (plus non-Covid hospitalizations) on the other hand, which you as well mention are more represented now with boosters, we could simply ease up on restrictions, not worry about the minority of unvaccinated people, and let this run its course much quicker than what the current "plan" allows for. > multiple specially trained nurses per bed How much training? Just brainstorming here: Wouldn't a 2-6 month (paid) intensive course be enough? It's not like you'd need to specialize in everything, just common symptoms/issues related to Covid hospitalizations. And after that you'd have a guaranteed well-paid* job for as long as this lasts. Throw in a college education like the military, if we're talking the US, for good measure. Just seems like there could be more done so much more in this area. *) this would of course include paying these people properly, which could be done through government subsidies edit: We thought the vaccine would take care of this whole thing but now after it's apparent it won't, we need to think of better solutions.